A Critical Analysis of Rehabilitation in Contemporary Penal Policy Essay

A Critical Analysis of Rehabilitation in Contemporary Penal Policy - Essay Example A working definition of â€Å"rehabilitation† is needed in order to perform an analysis, though even a few definitions evidence how differently the word can be interpreted. The British Humanist Association, in discussing rehabilitation, comments whether we should â€Å"be reforming and educating criminals, so that they have something better to do with their lives and no longer want to commit crimes?†. Lewis, after summarizing the many documents produced of late by the Home Office on the topic of crime, states, â€Å"These documents seem to give significant weight to the rehabilitation of offenders on the basis that such strategies will reduce reoffending†. Clearly, while both have a goal of reducing the commission of crimes by former inmates, the Humanists appear to have a concern for the content of the strategies, not just the process. Lewis proposes his own definition of rehabilitation, â€Å"the process whereby offenders are afforded the opportunity to be ful l members of society, with the rights and responsibilities that this entails.†