Alexis Dunham has written that the American correctional system is "...largely ineffective...[and] represents a terrific opportunity to rethink global correctional objectives, assess the utility of the approaches that have been tried, and refresh our thinking about what is likely to prove useful in the future."*
What are some of the problems with jails and prisons? How might alternatives better serve the goals of correcting criminal behavior and keeping offenders from committing more crimes? For what crimes might these alternatives be most effective? How might diverting some offenders to alternative programs improve jails and prisons?