The relevance of the Society to the effectiveness of Penitentiaries: The emergence of recidivists whose mistakes?

Until now the Correctional Institution is still in the public spotlight. This spotlight appears as a reflection of the apathetic views of the society towards Correctional Institutions, even though this Institution has a large role in crime prevention efforts, especially in fostering and resocializing prisoners. Do not close your eyes, that various polemics appear in prison. Places that are supposed to "rehabilitate prisoners" through various coaching activities are even getting scorns which are considered as "crime high schools".

In fact, cases such as illicit drug trafficking, riots, the discovery of prohibited goods such as sharp weapons, cell phones, narcotics occurred in several prisons. There is even a condition of prisoners who initially caught a minor case after leaving prison instead committing another crime by committing more serious crimes. Like prison is a place to study crime, as in the theory of criminology, namely the theory of Defferential Association from Edwin H. Sutherland that "crime is learned". Lapas has also recently been in the spotlight for freeing thousands of prisoners as a policy to deal with Covid-19 in Indonesia. Pros and Cons certainly occur because recidivists emerge after being released. Some say that the Penitentiary has been dilapidated. Then where was the error? It would be unwise to blame the Institute for speaking out that its effectiveness would be related to various aspects, including the community. Therefore, it is important to analyze the relevance of the society to the effectiveness of Penitentiaries, especially regarding the emergence of recidivists.

Reflecting on the various cases that emerged in Lapas led to many studies related to the effectiveness of Penitentiaries in Indonesia. Most researchers or observers stated that the Institute was not effective. The author also conducts research related to the effectiveness of Penitentiary in Class II A Penitentiary in Denpasar whose research results also lead to the ineffectiveness of this Institute. According to the author's view, this is not solely the fault of the institution. The correctional prison researcher even does his job quite well, but many obstacles are encountered so that the implementation of his duties is not optimal. This is due to many factors, including inadequate facilities and infrastructure. Other factors include the trend of imprisonment so that prisons are overloaded, prisoners' interest in participating in various coaching activities is also lacking, lack of staff, and lack of awareness and societysupport.

When placing the "lack of awareness and societysupport" factor, it certainly makes us think of its relevance because when we talk about the effectiveness of correctional facilities, we generally imagine corrupt prison officers who again only blame law enforcement in a criminal justice system. Whereas the societyalso takes part in determining whether or not the correctional prison is effective in guiding and re-socializing prisoners. Currently the public can only sneer and without realizing that the society can also inhhibited the effectiveness of Lapas.

Why do people repeat their crimes again? Why do recidivists appear even though they have been scouted and re-socialized in prison? This question is subjective and again cannot only blame Lapas. Recognition of one recidivist in a theft case by force stated that he committed theft because it was difficult to get a job. When the public learned that he was "ex-convict" he was immediately ostracized. This behavior in criminology is known as labeling theory which gives a stamp to the perpetrators of crime. Treating ex-convicts unkindly who discriminates / isolates this is one of the causes of ex-convicts committing their crimes again or in criminal law known as recidivism (repetition of a crime). When recidivists emerge, it certainly reduces the effectiveness of prisons.

The main purpose of prison is that prisoners who have served their sentence in prison are aware of their mistakes, become better people and do not repeat their crimes, while also ensuring that prisoners after leaving prison can be accepted by the community. Society which still gives a negative stigma by isolating or discriminating and giving "labeling criminals" to ex-convicts has in fact become one of the causes of the emergence of recidivists so it is worth to contemplate and change their paradigms and behavior in social life.

The society behavior has relevance to the effectiveness of a Penitentiary. Society can be one of the factors inhibiting the effectiveness of Corrections Institutions. People who still give negative stigma by isolating or discriminating and labeling criminals to ex-convicts have in fact become one of the causes of recidivists.