November 2010
Freedom and guidance 4
The result-oriented detention
The education or the judiciary must intervene when people become difficult. It is not to punish, but to protect the society and to show the offenders a framework in which they can develop personally.
How do we create incentives so that problematic citizens integrate in a satisfactorily way? What can we do for their improvement? Can we bring sense in their life? What can we do to limit efforts and costs for guiding measures?
The process of a guidance
Already minor crimes have consequences. An early correction works the best. According to the circumstances offenders get a compensation and a social training to do. If an act leads to a court case, then more drastic measures may also be prescribed.
The lowest steering level
Large crimes require the first stage of steering. If someone is very aggressive and violent and unable to take responsibility, then he comes first in a solitary detention. He must be supervised by professional forces. He should be every day in a common room for some time, where he sees other people, get the main meal, does exercises and can hear some stories. A social, psychological and medical expertise is made periodicly. Some defects are treated by specialists. Catering, services, training and telling stories is assured by steered people on higher levels. This allows them to practice social skills and to return something to the society. The lowest steering level is the most expensive of all the steering units and it is a place with hardly joyful life. There exists a mutual interest that nobody has to be incarcerated here longer then it is needed. In the first stage is no holiday for the steered and no one can leave the house directly from the first stage. If the steered has proved enough competence in this stage, he can try the next step.
The second steering level
Someone who proves personal responsibility, can spend daily some time in a group. Cooking for the group and for the prisoners in the lowest level, eat together and organise and run the daily work, makes the life more colorful. Someone who does not show enough personal responsibility, will be downgraded. Someone who proves personal responsibility further and presents no significant risk has a chance to further advancement.
The third steering level
This is the maturity level for freedom. The aim is to strengthen the social skills, the ability for a life outside and to do a contribution for the community. The third group provids as well a support for their own ill, old and frail members.
Economic viability is an important aim for the third level group. Work for the public sector is welcome. In an alpine country it can mean: operate an alpine economy in the summer, perform repair work on creeks, maintain a network of trails, do the care for the forests and raise avalanche protections. Changing responsibilities and changing positions invigorate the skills of every member. Prior to release, the client shall have proved his ability as a worker and as a member of a group. If someone does really to much troubles in the third level he will be sent back to the second level. If someone proves his competence in the third level and if he presents no significant risk, he has the opportunity to go in the open society, where he gets as long as necessary some aftercare.
Longer Guidance
Some people can not cope with the life outside because they are too unstable. Some are socially competent, but as a result of fatal tendencies or dependencies they are not able to cope with life in complete freedom. Some steered choose voluntarily to remain in the semi-free society. For these people solutions can be found whitch involve a prolonged residence in a community.
Youth
It is unusual that juvenile delinquents will by placed in the lowest level of guidance. The other levels of governance, however, makes sense for young people who lack social skills. Youngsters gets schooling and sports and also some work to do. A follow-up helps that many of them can find their way to a better lifestyle.