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Past, present and future of probation
Past, present and future of probation
Merits and demerits of probation
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The following are key points discussed in this weeks block on diversion and probation. First is a diversion. Diversion is when a conviction is averted given that the defendant completes a set of requirements issued by the court (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). It is an alternative to traditional justice proceedings in that the defendant's charges are washed away if they can complete these countermeasures (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Reasons for diversion are to save tax dollars for criminal housing and to provide the defendant a second chance (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Naturally, someone without a felony conviction has a better chance at finding a job. Also, studies have shown that the initial cost to the government for treatment are
quickly recovered factoring in what the traditional expenses of incarceration would be (Anglin, Nosyk, & Urada, 2013). Probation is the second key point of this block. Probation is used more than any other form of criminal correction (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Probation is delivered after conviction, but it is still a way to avoid jail time. Like diversion, there are requirements an offender must meet to get through the program. Probation has several benefits. It allows the offender to continue as an active and hopefully productive member of society (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Many feel that probation, when applied appropriately, has the highest net value to the public (Olsen, 1989). The cost of probation for each individual is around three bucks a day as opposed to 15 times that for someone in prison (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Most people on probation today meet with their probation officer once a month (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Probation agencies can be state agencies or private agencies contracted by the government (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). My problem with probation is that I feel that it can sometimes be abused to achieve the quick assembly-line clearing of cases in today's courts.
As offenders are diverted to community residential treatment centers, work release programs and study release centers, the system sees a decrease or stabilization of the jail population. While the alleviation of overcrowding is a benefit it is not the only purpose of diversion. A large majority of crimes are committed while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Studies have shown that more than half of all individuals arrested in the United States will test positive for illegal substances (NCVC, 2008). Efforts to reduce crime through incarceration usually fail because incarceration does not address the main problem, the offender’s substance abuse.
Parole is a controversial issue because its vase ways to debate the challenges and problems that will exist. It’s like a side effect to medication based on one’s effectiveness belief. In like manner, the public media allows others who aren’t immediately effected to become tertiary, and secondary victims. It is the door to open opinions. An inmate is released from a sentence given parole and then assigned a parole and probation officer. The one thing that will make probation and parole successful is the supervision of the program and rehabilitation or residential treatment center. This will support the goal to maximize the good behavior and minimize the harmful behaviors of individuals. Probation is a good program because it’s a form of rehabilitation that gives inmates elevate space to obey rules and regulations. On the contrary, probation is risky just like any new diet plan that people use to
Imagine two separate individuals who both receive a $500 driving citation due to invalid licensing. One individual has the financial security to pay the fee, while the other does not. The wealthier individual can mail a check to the local court and the fee is satisfied. On the other hand, the underprivileged individual is placed on a pay-only probation through a private probation company, which requires them to make small payments with additional supervision fees until the debt is paid. Throughout this process, they are under the constant threat of incarceration if they cannot fulfill their payment requirements. Furthermore, the more impoverished the individual is, the longer it takes to pay off the citation and additional
A probation system is an opportunity offered to offenders with minor crimes or good behavior in where the offender is not send to jail instead he/she is put it in probation in where they have to report to a police officer and they have to follow the court orders and cannot break the law. Usually probation is an opportunity for offenders to reintegrated with the community. The North Carolina Probation system is based on supervising the offenders and help them succeed. Also making sure that the offenders don't go back to prison or jail. The organization of the probation system is very similar to a corrections goal which is overall rehabilitation. Probation is not given to anyone, before an offender is place on probation a judge would look at all his criminals record, acts against
Low self esteem, poor-decision making, dysfunctional families, poor communication skills, and associations with negative peer groups are all characteristics of delinquent youth (Journal, 1993). The Ohio Cooperative Extension Service Juvenile Diversion programs were designed to address these characteristics in juveniles. The family unit and peer association are the primary social influence on juvenile behavior and the Ohio Extension program focuses on educating families and placing juvenile offenders in programs with positive peer influences.
Corrections are a necessary tool to protect society from those who do harm to others or to others property. Depending on the type of crime that was committed, and if the crime is considered a state or federal charge, also depends on where the person sentenced will do his time. There are four main sentencing options available; prison, probation, probation and confinement, and prison and community split. When a person is sentenced to do their time in prison most likely they will go to a state or federal prison. If a person is ordered probation, it prevents them from going to jail but they have stipulations on their probation. This is called intermediate sanctions, which are the various new correctional options used as adjuncts to and part of probation. Some intermediate sanctions include restitution, fines, day fines, community service, intensive supervised probation, house arrest, electronic monitoring, and shock incarceration.
In recent years, there has been controversy over mass incarceration rates within the United States. In the past, the imprisonment of criminals was seen as the most efficient way to protect citizens. However, as time has gone on, crime rates have continued to increase exponentially. Because of this, many people have begun to propose alternatives that will effectively prevent criminals from merely repeating their illegal actions. Some contend that diversion programs, such as rehabilitation treatment for drug offenders, is a more practical solution than placing mentally unstable individuals into prison.
Offenders are, at times, ordered to do all of these. Intermediate sanctions can be implemented in several ways. It can be implemented during arraignment or the initial sentencing, after the offender agrees to treatment and has shown improvement in compliance, or it can be implemented as a means to reduce the population in the correctional system (textbook, 131). This brings up the question of whether intermediate sanctions should be used and at what cost to the government. There are many reasons why intermediate sanctions are used and should be used.... ...
Prosecutors are getting less and less reluctant to tag on felony charges. David Brooks is a professor Yale University and teaches criminal justice. David Brooks explains that prosecutors “have gotten a lot more aggressive in bringing felony charges,” stating that felony charges carry a longer prison sentence than misdemeanors. When a felony charge is used, the judge can give any term sentence because the “mandatory minimum” sentencing will be voided. Mandatory minimum sentences are the least amount of time that a convicted inmate must serve for his sentence. In the past, minimum sentencing laws were useful due to the fact that crime rates wer...
Pettus-Davis, Epperson and Grier. (2017, March). Reverse Civic and Legal Exclusion for Persons with Criminal Charges and Convictions: A Policy Action to Promote Smart Decarceration. Retrieved from Grand Challenges for Social Work:
The Criminal Justice system was established to achieve justice. Incarceration and rehabilitation are two operations our government practices to achieve justice over criminal behavior. Incarceration is the punishment for infraction of the law and in result being confined in prison. It is more popular than rehabilitation because it associates with a desire for retribution. However, retribution is different than punishment. Rehabilitation, on the other hand is the act of restoring the destruction caused by a crime rather than simply punishing offenders. This may be the least popular out of the two and seen as “soft on crime” however it is the only way to heal ruptured communities and obtain justice instead of punishing and dispatching criminals
On April 9, 2008, the Second Chance Act was signed into law. This federal legislation authorized various grants to government agencies and nonprofit groups to provide a variety of services, including employment assistance, housing, substance abuse treatment, and family programming, that can help to reduce reoffending and violations of probation and parole (Siegel, 2017, p. 564). Furthermore, in 2013, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice launched a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system in order to identify reforms that would ensure federal laws are enforced more fairly and more efficiently. There were five goals identified as part of this review: To ensure finite resources are devoted to the most important law enforcement priorities; to promote fairer enforcement of the laws and alleviate disparate impacts of the criminal justice system; to ensure just punishments for low-level, nonviolent convictions; to bolster prevention and reentry efforts to deter crime and reduce recidivism; and to strengthen protections for vulnerable population ("Reentry Program | USAO-NV | Department of Justice," n.d.). The last two goals were set in place to directly assist with anticipating and to plan for problems that arose during a prisoners’ reentry
More are sentencing options are great because just like every person is different, so is the crime. Prison may not always be the most effective response for people, so If courts have options other than incarceration, “they can better tailor a cost-effective sentence that fits the offender and the crime, protects the public, and provides rehabilitation” (FAMM, 2011). Findings have also proven that alternative saves taxpayers money. “It costs over $28,000 to keep one person in federal prison for one year1 (some states’ prison costs are much higher). Alternatives to incarceration are cheaper, help prevent prison and jail overcrowding, and save taxpayers millions” (FAMM, 2011, para. 3). Lastly, alternatives protect the public by reducing crime. There is a 40% chance that all people leaving prison will go back within three years of their release (FAMM, 2011). “Alternatives to prison such as drug and mental health courts are proven to confront the underlying causes of crime (i.e., drug addiction and mental illness) and help prevent offenders from committing new crimes” (FAMM, 2011, para.
In response to question one of unit one, I will discuss changes, trends and the current use of probation and parole in the United States.
Resentfully, Policymakers against expanding drug treatment programs for convicted felons rest their case on several arguments: rehabilitation programs treat criminals too leniently; the public wants more criminals punished rather than more rehabilitation programs; and rehabilitation programs cost too much and do not work (Fallen, 2016). The Policymaker’s arguments have been proven to be unfactual. It costs more money to imprison and continually re-incarcerate criminals. In Spite of their beliefs on whether these programs actually work or not, I have just given examples of such successful programs. With drug abuse crimes being the number one reason behind incarceration of any