Prison is for punishment?

As a Criminology student at UNSW you come to understand the ongoing battle within the politics of the justice system that is rehabilitation versus punitive punishment. In this metaphorical battle it could be said that incarceration for punishment purposes is the Goliath, fueled by societies fear and politicians heavy handedness on law and order around election time. While rehabilitation with its tiny slingshot is David, supported by academics and empirical studies that are searching for a better way. It would be nice to think that concept of rehabilitation will one day triumph and filter into the policy of the justice system but thats a battle will be long in duration as monumental changes often are.

While this battle is raging on it seems as though the media plays an Iago like character, swiftly moving into the ear of the public and feeding off their deepest fears and ignorance to certain facts. While I am aware this is a fairly harsh comparison its not altogether unfounded, a perfect example is the Mods and Rockers of the 1960s, putting aside the humor that can be found in the fact that a bunch of teenagers driving around on scooters were labeled a danger, the concept of moral panic that is encouraged by carefully chosen words and facts in the media came to the forefront of many academic's literature.

With this fear created through over exposure in the media it is no wonder that society puts pressure on politicians to be harsher in their sentencing procedures and policies towards the more violent crimes. Its hard to consider the battle between rehabilitation and punitive punishment coming to an end with the media fueling the fire.