Problem:
Can you please comment on what I did well and what I could have done differently in the following response I wrote? Here is the question I had to respond to: Describe the role that courts and incarceration have in reducing recidivism. And here is my response: Courts are responsible for determining if a person is innocent or guilty of the crime they are being charged with. They are also responsible for determining the type of sentence served. Some courts have the option of offering a diversion program rather than traditional prosecution and incarceration. These programs address the underlying issues that lead to criminal behavior and offer positive alternatives to the criminal justice system. Incarceration intends to punish an individual severely enough that they will not return to criminal behavior. Removing the criminal from society can eliminate the threat to public safety while the person is serving time but upon their release will likely return to a criminal lifestyle if there are no alternative skills offered to replace the criminal behaviors. The high rate of recidivism shows that incarceration does not effectively address the underlying causes of criminal behavior (DeVeaux, 2022). Offering a combination of options that offer punishment for an offender's actions but also support the betterment of the individual is ideal.