What is the current focus of the corrections system?

The current focus of the corrections system is primarily on crime control. This approach emphasizes the need to reduce crime rates and enhance public safety, which has led to policies that prioritize harsher sentencing, increased incarceration, and a more punitive approach to offenders. Crime control reflects a societal desire to maintain order and deter further criminal activity, often concentrating on preventing recidivism through a variety of enforcement strategies, including increased surveillance and law enforcement presence.

The focus on crime control has shifted the resources and attention of the corrections system away from rehabilitation and community reintegration, which were more prominent in earlier decades. Although rehabilitation remains an important goal for some programs, the overarching narrative within many corrections systems today leans toward managing and controlling crime more effectively, driven largely by public perception and political agendas focused on safety.