Throughout “Dreams from the Monster Factory,” Sunny introduces many different aspects and dilemmas dealing with the criminal justice system. While reading her book, it truly opened my eyes, and made me realize exactly how prisons are, and how they deal with inmates.
This is much different than reading a textbook, which is also beneficial, but Sunny’s book gave personal experiences, feelings, and situations. As a criminal justice student, the book made me relate the information that I am taught in my classes to the dilemmas and situations Sunny dealt with.A major moral dilemma that is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society is also a key dilemma throughout the book. Sunny’s argument is that the rehabilitation system dealing with the criminal justice is more beneficial and favorable than that of retributive. She was very passionate about this system dealing with the inmates of the prison she worked at. The rehabilitation system of criminal justice states that inmates should be recuperated and “cured” of the issues and problems that led them to commit their crimes.
In the beginning of the book, Sunny works at a typical prison in which inmates are treated poorly and are locked up for years upon years for the crimes they have committed. Throughout the many years she worked at this prison, she always felt in her heart that she could “cure” these criminals of their hatred and negative outlook on life and other people. By this, she did not mean simply to give them a pill to be cured, but to take steps into dealing with their issues, and introducing positive aspects into their lives.She felt that by one on one therapy sessions, education, and a new outlook on life, these felons had the same chances of living a normal life like everyone else.
The turning part of Sunny’s story is when she is asked to run and develop new programs for the new prison that was built. This was an amazing opportunity for Sunny because she could finally introduce the importance of rehabilitation for the inmates in prisons. She accepted this chance to put her mark on other’s people lives, and began to devise new programs that would not only help these inmates, but would eventually help the communities urrounding this prison by attempting to change the behaviors of the inmates.Her program was titled RSVP, the Resolve to Stop the Violence Project. The program took hard work, lots of time, and dedication, but in approximately a year, Sunny’s plan had been developed.
Although Sunny’s plan seemed ingenious to her, there were some other skeptics, and honestly, who could blame them? An example in the book was the lady by the name of Kathy Lawerence who was on the committee of the new prison. Her defense was that her daughter was murdered and that her daughter’s offender should be put away and never be allowed to be released.Sunny’s explanation was eye opening when she explained that even the most violent offenders are placed back on the streets about only nine months after the offense. After the nine months, majority of these criminals were put back into prison because they have reoffended. Time in prison does nothing but cause more anger, more pain, and more reason to lash out on someone else again. Sunny did not get offended by Kathy’s opposition to her program, but simply that Kathy was exactly the kind of person she was trying to serve.
She needed to try and explain the ideas and theory behind the RSVP program and how it will inevitably lower crime, and the relapse of a criminal. The Resolve to Stop the Violence Project had many programs within it that dealt with many different aspects of a criminal’s life, including mentally and educationally. A main characteristic of RSVP was to treat the inmate as an equal, and to not frown or look down upon them. This alone would cause more anger to the criminal, and to not be open to the programs that were set up to help them. One program within RSVP was domestic violence and anger management programs.These two programs were the most important a popular among the inmates because assault was the most common violent crime committed.
The inmates were taught how to deal with the anger, and most importantly, talked about where the anger originates from, and how to avoid conflicts that would cause them to lash out. Sunny really understood that everyone comes from a different type of background, and some children are less fortunate than others. Majority of the inmates that dealt with anger problems came from broken homes where morals were not instilled in their everyday life.While growing up and becoming an adult, there were not role models to set examples as to how to deal with situations the right way.
Another important aspect of RSVP program was education. Sunny felt that education was of utmost importance, and that the majority of inmates do not have a high school education. G. E.
D. programs were set up in the prison to teach important concepts, and give these inmates an opportunity to acquire a real job after being released from prison. Not only would it give them this opportunity but Sunny believed that this education would give them a new outlook on life, and a reason to change their lives for the better.
