Prior literature has shown that rehabilitation in correctional facilities is a topic that has been debated since the origins of correctional facilities (Bryan et al. 2015). This debate and changes in perceptions of crime have led to a cycle of punitive and rehabilitative approaches to the correctional process (Bryan et al. 2015). Throughout the literature, rehabilitation is defined in a variety of ways (Forsberg and Douglas 2022; Veysey et al. 2011). Clearly defining rehabilitation allows for the exploration of what leads individuals to commit crimes. Oftentimes, rehabilitative practices aim at resolving inequities that may lead to crime, such as access to education or mental health treatment. In many cases, inequity is what drives apparently criminal behavior. These inequities can be “treated” through the use of rehabilitative programs within correctional institutions (Wakefield 2022). Beyond understanding the underlying causes of crime, it is important to also understand how politics and public opinion influence the response to crime. After reviewing the literature, an argument can be made for the positive effects that rehabilitative programs have when implemented properly.
This prior literature shows the importance of the current research project. Rehabilitation can be used as a way to compensate for some of the inequities that many incarcerated individuals face, like decreased access to education and employment. It is important to note that it is not enough to have these programs, they need to be offered by people the incarcerated individuals can connect and share a positive space. While this cannot be directly understood from content analysis, it is the hope that qualitative analysis will show the potential climate of the facility as presented through language and imagery. However, it is ultimately up to politicians and policymakers to help the public see that rehabilitation can be beneficial at reducing incarceration rates. While literature suggests that both Republicans and Democrats support reducing incarceration rates by moving away from punitive measures, this research aims to see how that translates to the programs offered by various correctional facilities.