Goals for individuals and businesses

One may think of corrections goals in terms of broad outcomes, such as revenge or retribution, restraint, reform or rehabilitation, reintegration into society, and restitution.

Goals of individuals or groups interested in corrections programs, however, may be unrelated to these broad outcomes. A community might support a prison because it employs a large part of that community's work force.

Private community businesses might look at the prison as a source of revenue through sales of food, medical and dental supplies, maintenance supplies, and materials for prison industries, and through providing contract services. Business groups, then, might believe that an important goal of the prison is to provide business opportunities to the community.