THE TENACITY OF THE REHABILITATIVE IDEAL REVISITED - HAVE ATTITUDES TOWARD OFFENDER TREATMENT CHANGED

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