ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the leading approaches to rehabilitation and why its proponents believe it is a compelling theory of punishment. It explores the available evidence on our ability to rehabilitate offenders. A rehabilitation theory of punishment holds that punishment should aim to reform offenders and assist their transition from criminal to law-abiding citizens. Rehabilitation theories of punishment attempt to address a central problem in criminal justice. The great majority of imprisoned criminals will eventually be released. Reformation is achieved where criminals understand the wrongness of their past actions and choose against further criminal activity. The goal of rehabilitative theories of punishment is simple: the reformation of criminal offenders. Offenders may also require treatment for mental health problems, which are often complex. A newer form of therapy is the use of recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation. The idea is that crime should not be treated as a moral failure, but an illness to be cured.
