Rehabilitation of Offenders: Theories and Practices

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Skills Development in the Social Sciences
“Explain, based on relevant theories, how offenders may be rehabilitated”
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
Reference List............................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
Rehabilitation is regarded as one of the most influential factors that tend to provide
psychological assistance to the offenders especially convicts and other such individuals. The
primary aim of rehabilitation centres is to make sure that they develop the thought process of
the social offenders and ensure that they are being able to make their comeback in the society
and continue their normal livelihood. The study will focus on the use of important and
relevant theories that will help in developing the psychological conditions of the social
offenders. Besides this, the study will shed light on the important means that could be
deployed for transforming offenders to acquire a better life ahead.
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Discussion
There are instances, when individuals tend to become social offenders and they perform
certain acts that could harm the harmony prevailing in the society. Due to this, individuals are
admitted to rehabilitation centres. This assists them to ensure that they are being able to
readapt the normal activities of the society and lead their lives in a better manner. Over the
passage of time, the process of rehabilitation has taken different forms of dealing with
individual behaviour (Dijkers et al., 2014). However, in order to ensure that individuals are
being able to overcome their already painstaking behaviour, certain theories and models
could be deployed.
The first theory that could be used is medical model of intervention. According to this model
of rehabilitation, different means of punishment and labour were introduced to ensure that
there is significant change in the behaviour of an individual. This theory helped to view social
offender in a completely new light (Hart et al., 2014). The theory stated that criminals were
driven with the help of psychological and socioeconomic forces that were responsible for
their actions in the society. The medical intervention model assisted to ensure that criminals
and social offenders are punished for their unlawful acts of hampering the social harmony.
This in turn helps to develop the mental condition of individuals and gradually understand
difference between right and wrong.
Medical intervention model is useful for providing medical treatment to convicts or social
offenders. However, with the application of the model, it was observed that individuals were
being subjected to severe punishment and treatment that took a toll on their health condition.
Therefore, in most cases, people generally do not prefer using the same theory (Wade, 2015).
Individuals in most of the cases, felt traumatised due to the use of the model and they could
not look to lead a normal life, as the process of treatment was quite harsh.
Another important theory that could be used to understand the process of rehabilitation is the
treatment theory. According to the theory, the patients in the rehab centres are regarded as
target objects for treatment. With the implementation and application of this theory, it could
be understood that essential ingredients are used for providing specific treatment to the
individuals (Wade, 2016). The essential ingredients might include different types of
mechanical forces that assist in the development of new behaviour from the social offenders.
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During their period of stay at the rehab centre, individuals are able to develop specific
behavioural patterns that provide them with enough scope to lead a normal social life.
The application of the treatment theory helps to develop certain attributes and skills of an
individual that are considered as social offenders. During the process of treatment, instructors
instruct them with certain resistive exercises that will help to strengthen their muscles and
help them to climb stairs and perform other activities in a precise manner (Osborne et al.,
2016). Apart from this, the treatment helps to develop calendar use skills and helps them to
use electronic calendars without much difficulty. As a result, individuals are able to have
social integration and continue their normal lifestyle.
In the context of curing people and helping them to achieve the social status again, the
application of the enablement theory can be done. With the aid of this, theory, the
rehabilitation centre is able to make sure that they are providing proper training and
development to the individuals in terms of performing their different activities such as
climbing a stair or using an electronic calendar. The instructor advises the individuals to
perform exercises that will help them to overcome their impairments and enhance their living
in the society. The use of this theory is considered important because it allows enough scope
for the impaired individuals to develop their strengths and regain their normal state of mind
(Chan and Thomas, 2015). The theory has been used in such a manner that it becomes easier
for the social offender and criminals to enhance their actions in the workplace and continue
their stay in the society in a normal and healthier manner.
The application of the aforementioned theories helps to understand the ways in which skills
of the social offenders are developed. The sole reason for treating the individuals in the right
manner is to make sure that they imbibe all the necessary skills that will be used for staying
in the society. Communication skill is one of the most important skills that are developed in
the individual and they are able to make use of the same to connect with different people of
the society. Besides this, communication helps them to speak about the challenges and issues
that they are facing in the rehabilitation centre (Cullen and Jonson, 2017). This enables the
care providers to identify the issue and resolve the same. Besides this, different types of
personal core skills are also developed during their period of stay at the rehab centre.
Positive thinking is an important skill that could be developed by the social offenders and
ensure that they have a positive approach towards their activities. This will reduce their
criminal instincts and help them to develop into better individuals.
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Apart from this, decision-making skill and time management skill is vital for the
nourishment of social offenders. The treatment received at the rehab centre will help to
develop these skills and they will be able to apply the same in the course of their daily
activities. They will be able to make the right decision and choose between right and wrong.
This will help them to have a rational approach towards their perception of things taking
place in the society. Moreover, the development of their time management skill will allow
them to manage their time effectively and perform their tasks properly. Besides this,
problem-solving skill will allow the social offenders or convicts to make sure that they can
confront their issues and find a probable solution to the same.
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Conclusion
The application of theories and models in the rehabilitation centre is important for the
development of social offenders and assisting them to lead a normal life without hampering
the social harmony. The study has been completed with the help of some important
rehabilitation theories and models. These theories have been applied in the development of
individuals in such a manner that they help to reduce the criminal instincts of an individual.
The study presents a clear understanding of the important techniques that could be deployed
for making individuals capable of readapting to the social regulations.
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Reference List
Chan, F. and Thomas, K.R. eds., 2015. Counseling theories and techniques for rehabilitation
and mental health professionals. Springer Publishing Company.
Cullen, F.T. and Jonson, C.L., 2017. Labeling theory and correctional rehabilitation: Beyond
unanticipated consequences. In Labeling Theory (pp. 63-85). Routledge.
Dijkers, M.P., Hart, T., Whyte, J., Zanca, J.M., Packel, A. and Tsaousides, T., 2014.
Rehabilitation treatment taxonomy: Implications and continuations. Archives of physical
medicine and rehabilitation, 95(1), pp.S45-S54.
Hart, T., Tsaousides, T., Zanca, J.M., Whyte, J., Packel, A., Ferraro, M. and Dijkers, M.P.,
2014. Toward a theory-driven classification of rehabilitation treatments. Archives of physical
medicine and rehabilitation, 95(1), pp.S33-S44.
Osborne, J.D., Gowda, A.L., Wiater, B. and Wiater, J.M., 2016. Rotator cuff rehabilitation:
current theories and practice. The Physician and sportsmedicine, 44(1), pp.85-92.
Wade, D., 2015. Rehabilitation–a new approach. Part two: the underlying theories.
Wade, D., 2016. Rehabilitation–a new approach. Part three: the implications of the theories.
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