There are many such studies -- below is one.
Of course, deterrence isn't the only reason for prison. Separation is another reason (and one I support) as is 'just desserts' (which I don't support).
Keeping, say, Willie Pickton off the streets is a good idea -- putting him in prison because he 'deserves it' seems (at least to me) to trivialize his victims and suggest their pain and anguish can be made up by putting Pickton in prison.
My point is prison is necessary sometimes as a way to protect society -- but as a tool to discourage crime it doesn't work.
[The reader also suggested Stephen Harper was a Marxist -- I have not found any data to support that theory]:
OTTAWA - An internal report by the federal Justice Department raises doubts about the effectiveness of harsher sentences, the linchpin of the Tory government's tough-on-crime policies.
The study examined almost 3,300 people convicted of an impaired-driving offence, and found 57 per cent of them offended again at least once, within five years on average.
And the severity of the first sentence had no impact on the behaviour of repeat offenders.
"There was no evidence to suggest that the imposition of a fine or imprisonment had any effect on the likelihood of whether an offender would re-offend or not," the author concludes.
"This indicates that the severity of the sentence received did not deter offenders in this sample."
"Reconviction rates for all individuals were similar regardless of the sentence received for the initial impaired driving conviction."
The research was delivered in July this year, more than three years after the Conservative government passed a tough law that imposed harsher fines and jail sentences, including mandatory minimums, for impaired-driving convictions.
The Canadian Press obtained a copy of the study, "Recidivism Among Impaired Drivers" by Andre Solecki, under the Access to Information Act. The research covers the period from 1977 to 2006.
The study is among dozens of internal reports on the justice system prepared each year by department researchers but never published or made public.
7 comments:
Perhaps the Marxist remark was in fact referring to this: http://farnwide.blogspot.com/2007/07/ouch.html
"Months ago, I quoted a Conservative source, who said that Stephen Harper's political mentor was Joseph Stalin."
I'd suggest that while the stats say 57 percent reoffended it is likely that most of the other 43 percent did but simply did not get caught.
Tough sentences means that none of the drunk drivers could reoffend while in custody. How many lives would be spared? How many wheelchairs would remain empty? It is impossible to answer but it is at least a few and possibly hundreds.
In fact incarceration could save the life of those in jail especially if they are in group that can be proven to be in a position where reoffending is virtually a guarantee.
This btw is one of my biggest problems with the drug issue. We have an argument that safe injection sites save lives etc. but even if they provided the best rehab. facilities
on the planet, the reoffending rate is so high that it can be argued the attempts at rehab are useless.
"but as a tool to discourage crime it doesn't work."
YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN EVIDENCE TO ME YET. WHERE IS IT?
Nothing can stop a crime, nothing. You can't stop a crime. Harper cannot stop a crime. The police cannot stop a crime.
Jail is to keep people who commit crime away from the law abiing public.
It's too keep the streets safe. Since when is it a "tool" to keep people out of jail.
Jail, by definition, keeps people locked up, and therefore the community is safe.
WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE THAT JAIL IS A TOOL TO BE USED TO STOP CRIME???
Where is it? Where is the evidence that keeping people locked up INCREASES CRIME?
Where is it????
And Harper is a Marxist because he has done nothing about government controlled speech trials, health care, gun control, or the CBC.
Not to mention Harper picking winners and losers in the private sector.
If Harper isn't a Marxist, then what is he?
"And the severity of the first sentence had no impact on the behavior of repeat offenders."
That's because there was no severity Morton.
60 days in Penetang and a 2 thousand dollar fine isn't severe Morton.
Or is it???
"The study is among dozens of internal reports on the justice system prepared each year by department researchers but never published or made public."
Nothing is made pubic here in Communist Canada.
The Cultural Marxists wouldn't keep their power if the truth was known.
Actually, the point about Harper is well taken...
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