Mainstream and Crosscurrents, Second Edition Chapter 13 Corrections in the Community

Mainstream and Crosscurrents, Second Edition

Chapter 13Chapter 13

Corrections in the CommunityCorrections in the Community

Criminal Justice: Mainstream and Crosscurrents, 2/eJohn Randolph Fuller

© 2010 Pearson Higher Education,Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. • All Rights Reserved.2

Community corrections in context

Prisons work only in a limited and partial manner.



Community corrections in context

The criminal justice system has multiple goals … Incapacitation Retribution Rehabilitation



CrossCurrents Community corrections in context

Probation and Parole: Controversial Issues

The release of nonviolent offenders, charging probationers the costs of their supervision, and assessing fees for criminal justice services are efforts to reduce prison crowding as well as criminal justice costs.



Diversion

Offenders may be diverted to alternative programs at a number of points in the criminal justice system.

Diversion programs limit the number of people who enter the criminal justice system.



Probation

Probationers outnumber parolees.

Probation is a widely used sentencing alternative because it accomplishes several positive outcomes.



Probation

State probationers outnumber federal probationers.



Probation

Probation officers at work

Investigation

Supervision

Service




Presentence investigation

The probation officer collects information about two important aspects of the case …

Legal history

Social history




Supervision

A form of punishment

A form of surveillance

Intensive supervision probation is used for dangerous offenders.




Service

Impediments include …

High caseloads

Uncooperative offenders

Sparse resources



Probation

Private probation

Many states find it difficult to provide enough officers to adequately supervise everyone on probation.

Private probation–A form of probation supervision that is contracted to for-profit private agencies by the state.



Probation

Private probation

Advantages Cost Effectiveness Public perception

Disadvantages Staff

qualifications Profit motive Ethical concerns Social-class bias



Parole

Differences between parole & probation

Probation instead, parole after Governing authority Parolees & probationers are

different Probation & parole officers have

different jobs



Parole

State parolees outnumber federal parolees.



Parole

When to parole

Three competing issues …

How much time should inmates spend in prison?

The rehabilitation issue

Limited number of prison beds



Parole decisions are based on … Time served Prison adjustment Pre-parole plan Inmate interview Victim-impact statements

Parole

When to parole



Parole

Re-entry and "Making It"

About as many inmates successfully complete parole as return to prison.



Obstacles to successful re-entry

Prisonization

Weakened social ties

Stigmatization

Parole

Re-entry and "Making It"



Intermediate sanctions

Intensive supervision probation Drug testing House arrest and electronic monitoring Fines Boot camp prisons Shock probation




Intensive supervision probation

Probation officers assigned to the most problematic offenders have small caseloads and more frequent contact with clients.




Drug testing

Probation and parole are conditional-release practices, and drug testing is usually one of the conditions.




House arrest & electronic monitoring

Allows offenders to maintain family ties, work, take advantage of community resources, and save the state the cost of incarceration.




Fines

Fines are often used in conjunction with other types of sanctions, such as short periods of incarceration. They also have many advantages as a criminal sanction.




Boot camp prisons

Designed to address a number of issues …

Identity

Discipline

Cost

Punishment




Shock probation

The offender receives a bogus incarceration sentence. After a few weeks of incarceration, the sentence is converted to probation.



Jails

A fundamental component of the corrections system, jails are a vital and crucial institution.



Jails

Control of the jail can often be a political issue.

How the jail is placed organizationally can have a major

effect on how it is funded, who is detained there, and the quality of justice.



Serve two major functions …

Hold suspects who have been arrested and are awaiting disposition

Confine misdemeanor offenders

Jails



QuestionsQuestions

What are the three primary goals of the criminal justice system?

What are the three main responsibilities of the probation/parole officer?

What two major functions do jails serve?

Documents

Mainstream and Crosscurrents, Second Edition Chapter 13 Corrections in the Community