Deck 12: Probation and Intermediate Sanctions

Question 1

What is the aim of community corrections?

Answer 1

Community correction:
Community correction is a relaxation from incarceration. It allows prisoners to engage with community and family. This method is enforced by the court or other enforcement agencies to modify criminal behavior of an offender. However, offender has to follow the order and terms of court in the period of community correction.
Aim of community corrections:
Community correction is the successful method behind offenders to reduce their criminal behavior. Social engagement helps to rethink their criminal activities and also helps to move back into the normal life. This community correction has several aims. They are given below.
Reduce population in prison: Most of the prisons are overpopulated. The increase of arrest and long term punishment is the reason for this growth. Hence, community correction helps to reduce strength of prison and also helps to manage the rest of the population effectively.
Place offenders in community: Prisoners are highly isolated from community. Hence, this method is helpful to place offenders in the community. It reduces isolation offenders from community. Hence, it is an effective method to rehabilitate an offender. Close supervision is used by court to avoid problems in the community.
Change of recidivism in the mind of offenders: The relationship with community and family can develop a positive behavior among an individual enormously. Community correction uses this method to correct offenders. Hence, it reduces recidivism among offenders.
Cost of savings: Community correction is a best method to reduce cost of prison administration. It helps prison authority to manage other prison population effectively. Therefore, these are the aims of community correction towards the offender.

Question 2

What is the nature of probation and how is it organized?

Answer 2

Probation:
Probation is a contract that involves offender and court. This contract provides parole to the concerned offender as per the conditions of probation. However, violation of probation conditions is the execution of another crime. The court will consider the violation is a major crime and provide punishments to such probation revocation and incarceration.
Nature of probation:
Probation is a method of punishment relaxation used by law enforcement agencies towards offenders. It is granted to offenders those who change their criminal behavior in the period of imprisonment. This positive change of an offender has to be understood by court.
Then, court will release an order for probation as per the terms and conditions. It provides relaxation from sentencing and allows public engagement. However, offender remains under the close supervision of probation officer. Hence, probation is an effective method of community correction.
Organization of probation:
Probation is a form of correction. This method falls under the executive branch of law. Moreover, state is the authority that enforces the law of probation. State fixes standards and provides financial support for probation. State also has the right to amend probation standards. Hence, state is responsible for any probation services. Therefore, these are the ways the probation is organized.

Question 3

What is the purpose of intermediate sanctions?

Answer 3

Intermediate sanction:
Intermediate sanction is a method of punishment. This punishment exists meanwhile of incarceration and probation. Hence, an offender could not receive the freedom of probation. However, he/she is not imprisoned in prison. For Example: An individual was arrested for using drugs. Court released him with punishment order by fine and house arrest.
Purpose of intermediate sanctions:
Probation and incarceration stays in different extents. At sometimes, probation is not an effective method. It provides a space for offender to escape from being punished. Likewise, incarceration is very difficult with the size of prison. These are two measures that are faced with some limitations. Here, the use of intermediate sanction arises.
Intermediate sanctions restrict particular right and privilege of an offender. It restricts offender from engage with society. Moreover, offender is under the close supervision of court. Rather than these restrictions, offender will get punishment like compulsory community services.
Hence, this is an effective method to provide punishment from the community. Hence, it fills the drawbacks of probation. Further, punishment from community reduces the limitation of incarceration. Therefore, reduces the drawbacks of probation and incarceration is a purpose of intermediate sanctions.

Question 4

What are the primary forms of intermediate sanctions?

Question 5

Why is net widening a concern?