Shifts in public opinion and public policy in the early 21st century point to a changing criminal justice environment, which is decreasing the use of incarceration and increasing the role of rehabilitation and reintegration in the development of justice solutions. This study provides the original results of a content analysis of 49 state correctional department mission statements as a means of exploring the present day focus of correctional institutions. Findings indicate that concern for public safety is the dominant goal of state departments of corrections, but that over half of departments also emphasize the rehabilitation of offenders as part of their public mission. Suggestions for future research and implications for criminal justice administrators and policy makers are discussed.
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