The Tenacity of the Rehabilitative Ideal Revisited

Abstract

Previous research has shown that the public endorses rehabilitation as a core goal of corrections. Over the past decade, however, the campaign to get tough on crime has grown in strength. In this context, the question emerges as to whether support for rehabilitation has diminished or maintained its hold on public thinking. The authors address this issue by replicating a 1986 study by Cullen, Skovron, Scott, and Burton that explored attitudes toward correctional treatment. The data reveal that citizens' support for rehabilitation has declined meaningfully. Even so, the public continues to view treatment as a legitimate correctional objective, especially for juvenile and nonviolent offenders.