Proponents of long jail sentences often say that time behind bars should serve as a deterrent. Someone who has committed a crime must serve their time, not just as punishment, but also to demonstrate the ramifications of their actions and make them less likely to re-offend.
However, statistics show that this doesn’t actually work. For instance, one study claims that 80% of juvenile offenders reoffend. Similar trends can be found within the broader criminal justice system, even for individuals arrested later in life. Many of them wind up being arrested again within just a few years.
Jail terms and destabilization
The issue is often that time behind bars creates destabilization in a person’s life. They struggle to get proper healthcare, find housing or obtain a job after they are released.
For example, one study looked at federal prisoners and tracked their employment prospects for four years after release. It found that a full 33% of them were never able to find a job during this time. For young offenders, incarceration could also mean losing their chance to get an education. They may not even graduate from high school, let alone attend college.
In other words, once someone gets out of jail, they may feel they have no prospects to earn money or have a fulfilling career. In turn, this means they cannot afford necessities like food, housing or healthcare. Some may return to illegal activities, such as selling drugs, simply because they feel they have no other options. Ironically, spending time behind bars has actually made it more likely that they will commit a crime in the future.
This demonstrates some of the complexities of the criminal justice system and highlights why all individuals facing charges need to understand their legal defense options.
