Meet the editor

Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves is an associate professor with tenure at the School of Psychology, University of Minho, Portugal, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Forensic and Legal Psychology in 1997. He has consistently researched and published on the topics of violent and dangerous offenders, namely, psychopaths, sexual abusers, spouse abusers, and the correctional system. He also works as a forensic psychologist expert at the

Counselling Unit of Forensic Psychology, University of Minho, where he evaluates and intervenes on juvenile and adult offenders. He has been the general director of the Portuguese Prison and Probation Services since 2022.

## Contents



## Preface

Writing about prisons is an endless project. Firstly, because prisons have been intimately linked to our society since ancient times and will remain linked to daily life as the ultimate step, at least in most countries, for those who break the law. Secondly, because prisons remain a continuous source of scientific research on human behavior in particular social conditions to test the efficacy of correctional treatment programs and to provide insight into the relevance of different forms of applying penitentiary laws. And thirdly, because correctional facilities attract great interest from the public, which leads to the formation of an array of fictional narratives that continue to play out in literature and cinema.

Although there is a line of opinion that condemns correctional facilities, pointing out their failures to deter crime, it seems difficult to find an alternative for protecting society from those who commit serious crimes and therefore should be punished. In 1961, when Goffman [1] postulated that prisons could be described as total institutions where individuals who were dangerous to society were allocated and had to comply with a strict set of rules, norms, schedules, and activities for a considerable amount of time in order to change their behavior, the rules of correctional treatment seemed quite clear. Additionally, each prison sentence had a functional character, as it could be an opportunity for the offender to change their criminal trajectory into a normative one. Notwithstanding the implications and the contribution of these postulates for the theorization of the crime, we know now that this approach should be interpreted with caution because we cannot assume that prison sentences automatically induce behavioral changes in a positive way and that incarceration provides the necessary opportunities for the offender to develop pro-social skills. This is perhaps the main reason for publishing this book. If some years ago, society believed that imprisonment would help inmates in their resocialization, this perception has been changing progressively, both in the psychological and criminological discourses. The potential of prison to rehabilitate offenders and prevent the occurrence of new crimes may be overstated. The optimism of the 1960s and the 1970s, characterized by the belief that imprisonment, by itself, could actually rehabilitate offenders, has since been widely discussed, whereas society has become much more concerned with personal safety. In the meanwhile, in several countries, the prison population increased substantially, incarcerating serious offenders along with those that have committed only petty felonies, and neither the introduction of alternative measures nor the growing body of empirical evidence towards the inefficacy of prison in reducing crime or in rehabilitating the offenders had a significant impact on imprisonment rates. Nevertheless, although the "nothing works" anathema heavily marked the judicial practices of many countries, it also instigated a lot of research on the effectiveness of prisoner interventions in reducing recidivism. There is increasing evidence that several programs, policies, and practices have been effective in crime prevention and offender rehabilitation.

This brief discussion shows that legislation and rationality about the correctional system have been gradually progressing from a more retributive and deterring

perspective to a recognition that offenders can be rehabilitated if a scientific and evidence-based model is used both during imprisonment and in community sanctions. The seminal work of Don Andrews and James Bonta [2], with the creation of the R-N-R model in the 1990s, is the most relevant step for correctional treatment and offender rehabilitation. Nevertheless, some countries and jurisdictions are in favor of a more restrictive and punitive legal framework and, in this sense, a book that can bring us international perspectives of what is going on in African or South American countries is useful for helping us remember that there is still a long way to go to fulfill the human rights agenda.

This book presents legal frameworks on corrections and applied research. It is a resource for a wide range of readers, including professionals, academics, and the public. In certain aspects, it still bears on some of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed on correctional systems throughout the world. In several countries, the risk of COVID outbreaks inside facilities promoted a more or less controlled release of prisoners, which was useful for not only deterring overcrowding problems but also ensuring that the most vulnerable inmates would not be infected. While the impact of these measures on the rates of recidivism is not fully assessed, it is important to look at them carefully because they might bring us relevant knowledge of the importance of applying alternative measures to prison sentences more frequently, namely, in petty crimes or against individuals who are not considered dangerous [3]. Several countries have high rates of incarceration, and research on the impact of short prison sentences on the ability to impose prosocial behavior has shown negative outcomes [4]. In addressing so many issues, this book is useful and important for those who work in the correctional field, including prison, education, and probation officers.

I would like to thank all the contributors for their work that has made this book possible and the staff at IntechOpen, especially Author Service Manager Dolores Kuzelj, for their enduring confidence and trust.

> **Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves** Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

#### **References**

perspective to a recognition that offenders can be rehabilitated if a scientific and evidence-based model is used both during imprisonment and in community sanctions. The seminal work of Don Andrews and James Bonta [2], with the creation of the R-N-R model in the 1990s, is the most relevant step for correctional treatment and offender rehabilitation. Nevertheless, some countries and jurisdictions are in favor of a more restrictive and punitive legal framework and, in this sense, a book that can bring us international perspectives of what is going on in African or South American countries is useful for helping us remember that there is still a long way to go to fulfill

This book presents legal frameworks on corrections and applied research. It is a resource for a wide range of readers, including professionals, academics, and the public. In certain aspects, it still bears on some of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed on correctional systems throughout the world. In several countries, the risk of COVID outbreaks inside facilities promoted a more or less controlled release of prisoners, which was useful for not only deterring overcrowding problems but also ensuring that the most vulnerable inmates would not be infected. While the impact of these measures on the rates of recidivism is not fully assessed, it is important to look at them carefully because they might bring us relevant knowledge of the importance of applying alternative measures to prison sentences more frequently, namely, in petty crimes or against individuals who are not considered dangerous [3]. Several countries have high rates of incarceration, and research on the impact of short prison sentences on the ability to impose prosocial behavior has shown negative outcomes [4]. In addressing so many issues, this book is useful and important for those who work in the correctional field, including prison, education, and probation

I would like to thank all the contributors for their work that has made this book possible and the staff at IntechOpen, especially Author Service Manager Dolores Kuzelj,

**Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves**

 School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

Department of Applied Psychology,

the human rights agenda.

officers.

for their enduring confidence and trust.

[1] Goffman E. Asylums. N. Y.: Anchor Books, Doubleday. 1961

[2] Andrews DA, Bonta J. The psychology of criminal conduct. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson; 1994

[3] Redondo S, Gonçalves RA, Nistal J, Soler C, Moreira JS, Andrade J, Andrés-Pueyo A. Corrections and Crime in Spain and Portugal during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Impact, Prevention and Lessons for the Future. Victims & Offenders. 2020;**15**:7-8, 1156-1185. DOI: 10.1080/15564886.2020.1827108

[4] Castro-Rodrigues A, Sacau A, Quintas J, Gonçalves RA. Prison sentences: Last resort or the default sanction? Psychology, Crime & Law. 2019;**25**:171-194. DOI: 10.1080/1068316X.2018.1511788

**1**

Section 1

Corrections and Law
