CRIME (CONTROL) IS A CHOICE: DIVERGENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE ROLE OF TREATMENT IN THE ADULT CORRECTIONS SYSTEM.

The article focuses on divergent perspectives on the role of the treatment in the adult corrections system. If short-term reduction in recidivism is the outcome, then it certainly makes sense to consider targeting high-risk offenders for residential treatment. Policy makers and program directors want to know how program completion rates vary by risk level, given the costs of program failure, for individuals, families, communities, and program integrity. For many, overall program completion rates are one measure of a program's success with a difficult population. A similar, risk-driven strategy can also be used at the point of release from prison, but some obvious implementation problems must be considered. The most comprehensive reviews of research support the notion that treatment can change offender behavior. A short-term prison management strategy, such as recreation, should never replace the provision of treatment programs. Perhaps more important, research suggests that informal social controls are more effective than formal social controls, at both the individual and the community level. Ultimately, the choice of crime control policies should reflect the recognition of the inexorable link between individual and community change.