Community Corrections:

1
Chapter 13

• Community Corrections
• Probation and Intermediate Sanctions

2
Chapter Objectives

• Identify the philosophical assumptions underlying
  community corrections
• Evolution of probation, and identify the ways
  probation sentences are implemented today
• Identify the major types of intermediate
  sanctions and how they are administered
• Identify key issues facing community corrections
  in the new century.

3
Background

• Tough sentencing practices of the 1980s produced
  high costs for state governments
• Community corrections, seen as viable since the
  19th century, was introduced as a way to defray
  costs
• Aims at building ties that can reintegrate the
  offender into the community

4
Community Corrections Assumptions

• Offender Must Make Appropriate Changes
• Also an element of community change that is
  recognized as important (e.g., unemployment)

• Four Often Cited Supporting Factors
• The background and/or crimes of some offenders do
  not warrant incarceration
• Community Super. Cheaper
• Prison no better at rehabilitation
• Incarceration is more destructive to both
  offender and society

5
Probation

• Conditional, supervised release of offender into
  community
• May be combined with other sanctions
• Must report regularly, and usually abide by other
  conditions

• Shock Probation
• Number of offenders on probation has risen almost
  3 per year since 1990
• Almost 3 million currently on probation

6
Probation Organization

• Over 60 of offenders are placed on probation
• Usually administered by the judiciary (courts)
  and controlled locally
• Actual organization of probation varies by state
  (see page 466)

7
Probation Services

• Primary Responsibility is supervision of
  probationers
• Multiple Roles
• Social Worker
• Law Enforcement

• Increasing use of classification systems
• Heavy Caseloads pose of of biggest challenges

8
Probation Violations

• What should be the major evaluation criteria for
  probation To determine if it works?
• Violations Rearrest v. Technical Violations
• Possibility for probation revocation
• Case Law Mempa v. Rhay (1967) Gagnon v.
  Scarpelli (1973)

9
Intermediate Community Sanctions

• Intermediate sanctions exist on a continuum
• Fines/Restitution to Intensive Supervision
• There is little between the two extremes of
  probation and prison

• Three Primary Types Administered
• Primarily by judiciary
• In community with strong supervision component
• Inside institutions followed by community
  supervision

10
Judiciary Sanctions

• Fines
• Comparative Perspective Day fines in Germany
• Restitution
• Forfeiture

11
Sanctions Admin. In Community

• Home Confinement
• Electronic Monitoring
• Tether
• Flexibility
• Reasonably cost effective
• Community Service
• Can be tailored to fit skills/abilities of
  offender
• Symbolic Value

• Intensive Supervision Probation
• Regular probation but with regularly reporting
  and extensive oversight
• Popular among politicians
• Individuals too risky for normal probation
• May result in larger number of probationers sent
  to prison

12
Institutional Intermediate Sanctions

• Boot Camps
• Took off in the late 1980s and early 1990s
• Adopted by 36 States and the Federal Bureau of
  Prisons
• Military Environment
• Upon completion, offenders released into community

13
The Future of Community Sanctions

• Although popular, future remains questionable.
  Key Concerns
• Which agencies should implement sanctions?
• Which offenders should be admitted?
• Will it result in net widening?