What do you think about the idea that nothing works? Is that true, or can we have some impact on crime ?

Question

Robert Martinson, a noted criminologist of the 1970's committed suicide by jumping out

of a high rise window. It was believed he ended his life over his grief of starting the idea

in criminal justice that "nothing works." Martinson was a firm believer in rehabilitation.

He was part of a study that looked at some rehabilitation programs and found that they

were not effective. Some people in the criminal justice field took this to mean that

nothing works. In reality, although Martinson's study may have found that those

particular programs that they looked at didn't work, it didn't conclude that nothing works.

Answer 1

I went to rehab, it didn't work.  I had an addiction to prescription drugs.  I wrote fake prescriptions.  I went to prison and it worked.  I do not do that anymore and never ever will.  I was using 60 pills a day.  I couldn't function.  I was arrested many times, and just kept doing it.  After going through prison, I am cured! Although, it wasn't because of the corrective therapy in prison, it was the scare of the dreadful place.  I got clean in there and a lightbulb turned on "What the h**l was I thinking?".  I have stopped.  I am clean! I won't do it again.