Development Challenges in the 21st Century conference.

From as early as the 1970s, there has been an ongoing debate surrounding the notion of ‘what works? ’ in corrections. Some have argued that ‘nothing works ’ in corrections; advocating either that criminals are incapable of being rehabilitated or that proponents of correction and rehabilitation weren’t effective in their task. Other authors have sought to defend the idea and efficacy of a rehabilitative approach. Since its inception, the motto of Trinidad and Tobago’s prison system has been “to hold and to treat”, thus indicating a belief in restraint and rehabilitation. However, with a recidivism rate of greater than 50%, the extent that such an organizational motto has been adopted warrants some enquiry. The adoption of an organization’s ethos by its staff is fundamental for optimum performance. Correctional staff are often identified as a crucial component of the 2 system’s ethos. They are referred to as the ‘front line ’ of the penal system, implementing the mandate of the system, whether be it to punish or rehabilitate. With the above in mind, this paper presents details of a study-in-progress that seeks to identify whether the nation’s correctional officers hold primarily rehabilitative or punitive ideas abou