An important goal of the criminal justice system is to help offenders become law-abiding citizens. Treatment services and programs are also necessary to bring about more lasting changes in behavior. Rehabilitation programs are aimed at treating problems that interfere with an offender's ability to function in society. For example, many offenders failed to learn appropriate social behaviors when they were growing up. As adults, they are faced with such basic needs as learning how to get along with people and how to keep a job.
Many offenders lack employment and educational skills, which limits their ability to earn a living.
Drug abuse interferes with motivation and increases exposure to criminal lifestyles. Troubled family backgrounds can distort perceptions of the world and feelings towards others. Research has shown that effective correctional treatment requires a careful match between the needs of offenders and programs that address these specific needs. It also suggests that programs aimed at teaching behavioral skills are the most effective. Treatments that match offender needs to the program and use behavioral training techniques have been shown, on average, to reduce reoffending by 50 per cent.