Exam 10: Corrections in the Community: Alternatives to Confinement

Which principle of effective correctional treatment identifies the importance of treatment interventions that address factors related to the offending behaviour?

In Canada, there is no evidence that diversion programs have any impact on correctional populations.

Which scenario describes the most common instance of probation?

The primary objectives of intermediate sanctions are treatment and rehabilitation; the secondary objective is offender accountability.

Canadian diversion programs have been found to reduce correctional populations.

Identify and briefly discuss the obstacles to effective probation supervision.

What do electronic monitoring, fines, community service, and conditional sentences have in common?

Diversion programs have been a key feature of the Canadian criminal justice system for decades.

Martin has received a sentence of 12 months and has been ordered to serve the entire sentence in the community under house arrest. While serving the sentence he must fulfil both required and additional conditions. Which type of sentence is Martin serving?

Increasing caseloads and increasing workloads have been identified as obstacles to effective probation.

Jane is a probation officer. She often finds herself torn between the need to provide adequate support and assistance to her probationers, and the need to enforce all the mandatory and additional conditions of their probation orders. Which of the following best describes the primary source of Jane's conflict?

Electronic monitoring is the most frequently used strategy for supervising offenders in the community.

Community correctional agencies often fail to gather the information necessary to determine the effectiveness of their practices.

Discuss the recruitment and training of probation officers and how this process may help prepare the applicant to be a probation officer. Discuss the roles and responsibilities probation officers have, including their role in the assessment and case management of probationers. Explore the reasons why probation officers have become more control/surveillance oriented. What impact do you think this shift has had on probationers? And the relationship between the probation officer and probationer? Explore the potential consequences of this shift.

What does the term "intermediate sanctions" mean? Provide examples.

Cleo is an offender who is being assessed by her probation officer. She has several friends and family members who are also involved in criminal activities. Her probation officer is concerned that these individuals will disrupt Cleo's progress, and encourages her to limit her contact with them. Which principle is the probation officer applying in her assessment?

Who is electronic monitoring (EM) used for in Canada?

Identify and explore the obstacles to effective probation supervision. Explore these obstacles, and especially the consequences of these obstacles. What recommendations do you have to address these obstacles? Address each obstacle, providing a solution to the problem, and discuss how the strategy would make a difference for probation officers and/or probationers.

Discuss the use of diversion in Canada. Identify the stage at which you think diversion is most beneficial-pre-charge, post-charge, or post-sentence-and explain the reasons for this belief. Explore the potential benefits and downfalls of diversion programs and discuss whether or not the potential benefits outweigh the downfalls.

Offenders can be sent to a diversion program only at the pre-charge stage of the justice process.