There is no doubt that our concept of justice, crime, and change are deeply interconnected with the prevalence of mass incarceration in the U.S. and the prison industrial complex. So when the concept of overhauling and even abolishing prisons to curb incarceration comes about, it is natural to wonder what we would do instead; how can we move away from something that has taken deep, pervasive roots in our society?
To answer this question, prison reform and abolition groups present the concept of restorative justice. This solution moves away from criminal punishment as it—alongside prisons—has not helped prevent crime nor helped the victims of crime; instead, restorative justice calls for accountability in the families and communities of offenders in hopes to heal the community, the victim, and prevent crime from recurring. Essentially, it calls for the offender to “fully account for their behaviors in dialogue with the individual and communities affected by their actions.… then work with those parties to develop actions to try to repair the damage done as much as possible” (“What is Prison Abolition?” John Washington). By adopting this method of justice, a systemic analysis replaces the harsh punishment of the criminal justice system. Communities do not just see the offender shipped away but rather are able to see the change and accountability occur in the offender as facilitated by community resources.
In all honesty, this concept isn’t as cut and dry as a few hundred words make it. It is not easy to imagine this working, and it is not easy to imagine a society without prisons. Yet to move forward toward reform and abolition, we must study, analyze, and eventually turn towards alternatives like restorative justice.
When considering violent crimes like murder, assault, and kidnapping, abolition and reform won’t stop them altogether, and it is a valid emotion to want to lock them up. Yet the founding principles such as restorative justice aim to stop more than our current justice system does. It is considered a step in the right direction—a step towards a prison-less future. After all, un-ingraining incarceration and prisons from our society will be a long, arduous process when considering the current failing of the justice and legal system. Perfection is not expected right away, but these movements are fighting for progress, for decarceration, and for the justice system to be remedied.
Restorative justice is also championed alongside rehabilitation, the idea that through community resources, therapy, and any other means necessary offenders can seek the help they need and become productive members of society away from crime. Both, as mentioned in “Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Programmes in the Nigerian Prisons: A Study of Perception of Inmates in Enugu Prison” by Uche et al., are meant to “divert offenders from crime” and instead offer more “useful pursuits” such as religious institutions, an education, or a new hobby to profit from. This study found them to be fairly effective barring the lack of funding for programs (Uche et al.); it is a promising solution for the dissolution of prisons. Rehabilitation helps reduce recidivism rates, and restorative justice aims to prevent prisons from being necessary.
Together these are just two pillars of the progress prison abolition groups—and some reform groups—are fighting for. It is a radical change to move away from imprisonment, but we are looking for progress in this fight. There are solutions outside of the prison industrial complex and its devastating failings.
References
Ben-Moshe, Liat. Decarcerating Disability: Deinstitutionalization and Prison Abolition. University of Minnesota Press, 2020.
Davis, Angela Y. Are Prisons Obsolete? Seven Stories Press, 2011.
Paiella, Gabriella, et al. “How Would Prison Abolition Actually Work?” GQ, 11 June 2020, www.gq.com/story/what-is-prison-abolition.
Washington, John. “What Is Prison Abolition?” The Nation, 1 Aug. 2018, www.thenation.com/article/archive/what-is-prison-abolition/.
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