60 billion
spent on corrections each year
0.9
is spent on incarceration
why we need a range of correctional strategies between probation and imprisonment
imprisonment is to restrictive, traditional probation doesnt work, and justice needs more options
intermediate sanction can improve probation
by intentsifying supervision and provide specialized programs better suited to address the offenders needs
continuum of sanctions
A range
of correctional management
strategies based on the degree
of intrusiveness and control over
the offender, along which an
offender is moved according
to his or her response to
correctional programs.
stakes
The potential losses
to victims and to the system if
offenders fail; stakes include
injury from violent crimes and
public pressure resulting from
negative publicity
problems with widening the net
what agency will operate the intermediate sanctions, selecting appropriate offender for alternative program, and widening the net
implementing intermediate sanctions has three consequences
wider nets, stronger nets, different nets
wider nets
the reforms increase the proportion of people in society whose behavior is regulated or controlled by the state
stronger nets
by intensifying the states intervention powers, the reforms augement the states capacity to control people
different nets
the reforms create new jurisdictional authority or transfer it from one agency or control system to another
Boot Camp
A physically rigorous, disciplined, and demanding regimen emphasizing conditioning, education, and job training. Designed for young offenders
communtiy service
Compensation for injury to society, by the performance of service in the community
day fine
A criminal penalty based on the amount of income an offender earns in a day's work.
forfeiture
Government seizure of property and other assets derived from or used in criminal activity
Intensive supervision probation
Probation granted under conditions of strict reporting to a probation officer with a limited caseload.
Principle of interchangeability
The idea that different forms of intermediate sanctions can be calibrated to make them equivalent as punishments despite their differences in approach.
probation center
Residential facility where persistent probation violators are sent for short periods.
restitution
Compensation for financial, physical, or emotional loss caused by an offender, in the form of either payment of money to the victim or to a public fund for crime victims, as stipulated by the court.
Restitution center
Facility where probationers who fall behind in restitution are sent to make payments on their debt.
shock incarceration
A short period of incarceration , 30-90 days(the "shock"), followed by a sentence reduction.
prison
as punishment is not very effective
Limitations of Probation
Caseloads are too large for meaningful supervision because probation officers handle 100+ offenders at a time; the average probationer gets maybe 15 minutes of contact a week.
In the limited time available, little may happen to help the probationer achieve a lifestyle change.
Intermediate sanctions, however, can improve traditional probation supervision in two ways.
can intensify supervision.
can provide specialized programs better suited to an offender's needs.
allow a closer tailoring of the punishment to the offender's situation.
intermediate sanctions
advantages of intermediate sanctions
It increases the corrections system's flexibility.
It allows more responsive management of individual offenders.
It costs less.
Intensive supervision (ISP)
targets offenders subject to incarceration and should help alleviate crowding
two types of electronic monitoring
Passive monitors which respond only to inquiries.
Active devices which continuously send signals.
Ordinarily combined with home confinement and is used to enforce its restrictions.
boot camps
a variation on shock incarceration; offenders serve a short-term institutional sentence and are put through a physical regimen designed to develop discipline and respect for authority
The research to date has not been promising in regards to the issue of success of
boot camps
The most important issue concerning the use of intermediate sanctions has to do with sentencing
philosophy and practice
for sanctions to work
exchange rates consistent with the principle of interchangeability must be developed so that one can be substituted for or added to another
selection of offenders
intermediate sanctions must be reserved for appropriate offenders, but must be made available regardless of race, sex, or age.
Intermediate sanctions have two general goals
To serves as a less costly alternative to prison.
To provide a more effective alternative to probation
when prison alternatives
are applied to non-prison cases, money is not saved.
when probation enhancement programs
are provided to low-risk offenders, they cannot reduce much crime.
Deterrence-minded people argue tough surveillance deters crime in 2 ways
Makes offenders less willing to decide to commit a crime.
Catches active criminal earlier in their recidivism
Community Corrections uses 4 types of control strategies
drug controls.
electronic controls.
human surveillance.
programmatic controls
since the 1980's
electronic monitoring has been the most innovative.
Personal contact benefits
Reading body language, detecting attitudes, odors, etc.
iEffectiveness is gauged by how many contacts there are/were.
Routine and random contacts yields a deeper understanding of the offenders compliance with the law.
Now people are able to conduct their own surveillance on sites such as the sex offender registry
Most widely used technique of surveillance and control is
drug testing
are three major shifts in the working environment of the correctional professional
Non-government organizations have emerged to administer community corrections programs.
An increased emphasis on accountability has reduced individual discretion.
the relationship between the professional and the client has become less important than the principles of criminal justice that underlie that relationship.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s
several states considered legislation that would establish financial and programmatic incentives for community corrections
Community corrections legislation
is based on the idea that local justice systems have little incentive to keep their own offenders in local corrections.
Community corrections legislation can be broken down into three aims
Reduce the rate and number of people sentenced to state correctional facilities.
Reduce tax revenues spent on corrections.
Reduce prison populations.
community corrections movement
has had limited impact on prison populations in most states that have enacted such legislation.
reparative alternatives
community service and restitution
The real test of these programs will involve two issues
how much do they improve probation credibility as a sanction and how well do they combat jail and prison crowding.
Intermediate sanctions have two general goals:
(1)to serve as a less-costly alternative to prison and (2) to provide a more-effective alternative to probation.
tough surveillance deters crime in two ways
makes offenders less willing to decide to commit a crime because they are being watched, it catches actives criminals early in their recidivism
antabuse
frequently given to alcohol abusers. makes them nauceous.
Deprovera
chemical castration, constrains the male sexual response.
thorazine
used for people suffering from psychiatric problems that lead to violent behavior
prozac
used to treat depression
in 1965
california passed the probation subsidy act
probation subsidy act
reimbursed counties for maintaining offenders in local correction systems instead of sending them to state facilities.
1965
minnesota passed the first comprehensive community corrections act
comprehensive community corrections act
fnded local corrections systems with money saved by the state corrections when individual were not sentenced to state facilities