The Extent of the Scope of Punishment

One of the reasons for imprisonment is to provide offenders an opportunity to reform. The aim is thus to offer offenders a second chance. This practically means that upon release from custody offenders should be free to pursue any possible means to lead a constructive life. Thus the scope of punishment should not go beyond the bounds of prison walls. To take the scope of punishment beyond imprisonment would defeat the very purpose rehabilitation. For those who have been imprisoned, the rebuilding of their lives will include an opportunity of employment. Many employers are, however, hesitant to employ ex-convicts. This hesitance to employ ex-convicts basically turns into the marginalisation and exclusion of ex-convicts into the labour mainstream. This sort of exclusion is seen by many as a second punishment, which falls foul to the idea of reincorporation of ex-convict into the community. This paper will impugn the view that ex-convicts cannot be trusted with employment and thus should be side-lined in the labour mainstream.