Future Perspectives on Counseling and Treatment of Criminal and Delinquent Offenders

The field of corrections does not exist in a vacuum. Corrections is only one component of the criminal justice system, and what happens in the law enforcement and judicial components affects the corrections component. In addition, the economic, social, and political factors at play at any period of time also have an effect on the present situation and the future of corrections. In recent years, new state and federal legislation in the United States has been favorable toward the decriminalization of some offenses, particularly those related to drug abuse. There has been an emphasis on diversion, the development of community-based treatment, and providing treatment for special groups of offenders. The recognition that almost all criminal offenders, even those sentenced to long-term prison sentences, will eventually return to the community has contributed to the increased involvement of various public and private service agencies and groups in the treatment of offenders. It is likely that the current emphasis on using evidence-based programs in the supervision and treatment of offenders will continue in the future.