My question is: Does Barnett accurately characterise the point of a rehabilitative justice system?
I do not think so. The system Barnett describes as rehabilitative is, ultimately, a failed system; furthermore, the methods of rehabilitation he describes are not by any means ideal or effective. He suggests that a rehabilitative system works on the concept that punishing criminals will cause them to recognise the immoral nature of their crimes, thus preventing them from engaging in criminal behaviour in the future. However, an ideal and effective rehabilitative justice system would not punish criminals, but would instead provide them with therapy and other non-hostile ways to recuperate from whatever harm prompted them to act criminally in the first place. In the end, such a system would reintegrate former criminals into society in circumstances substantially better than those in which they lived prior to committing their crimes, and hopefully dissuade them from acting criminally in the future.
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