Alternative to Incarceration Intermediate Sanctions

Introduction Alternatives to incarceration have been explored in recent years due to the overcrowding in the correctional system. Intermediate sanctions is one of those alternatives. Intermediate sanctions have long way been used in the United States due to the benefits and options that it offers from saving money to reducing overcrowding but it does, however, have its unfortunate faults. There are many programs within intermediate sanctions that work and some that fall behind. Intermediate sanctions is an alternative to the costly prison system but to what end? As an alternative to incarceration, intermediate sanctions are most often used for non-violent offenders. Intermediate sanctions is a new option of punishment that was†¦show more content†¦It is common practice for judges to sentence an offender to one or a combination of these programs depending on the crime that they have committed. The overall goal of these programs is to limit the amount of people being sent to prison to avoid any further overcrowding. The second set of programs are known as back-end programs. These programs are implemented when offenders made improvements in compliance and behavior, as well as any treatment that they might have had. These programs primarily involve the reduction in restriction and supervision of an offender. Offenders are moved from higher levels of supervision and restrictions to lower levels of control to finish off the remainder of their sentence (textbook,132). The final category is known as trap-door or side-door programs. The primary function of these programs is to act as an emergency release option. These are not used as much as the other categories but this allows for non-violent offenders to be release on emergency circumstances only if they have done at least six months and is eligible for parole. There are many programs that fall within intermediate sanctions but there are a few that are more widely utilized. Some of the most utilized programs consists of Intensive supervision probation or ISP, boot camp, and community service. ISP is the most popular and has the longest running history of any other intermediate sanction (Tonry, 1997). ISP utilizes a variety ofShow MoreRelatedToday s Criminal Justice Over The Past Few Decades1307 Words   |  6 Pagescounterproductive model that often lead to overcrowded prisons and jails, early release of potentially dangerous criminals, and corrections budgets that eat away state funds. In an effort to be hard on crime, many jurisdictions are making thei r incarceration standards harsher. Regular probation isn’t the answer either. The security of the public can be seriously endangered by sentencing to probation. Unfortunately, probation often serves as a delta in sentencing for congested prisons. This causes sentencingRead MoreProbation And Parole And Juvenile Offenders Essay1384 Words   |  6 Pagesgambling or alcohol, bringing rehabilitation into play. Rehabilitation first gained popularity as a goal of punishment in the 19th century. Changes in the practice and philosophy of sentencing and corrections have clearly had a major impact on incarceration rates and has majorly increased the number of people in the United States who are under correctional supervision. The amount of time offenders serve in prison is almost always shorter than the amount of time they are sentenced to serve by theRead MoreDo We Rely Too Much On The Prison System1305 Words   |  6 Pagescontinues to rise in this country health and safety questions rise as well. Not only for the prisoner but for also for the guards that are there to watch over and protect the inmates. It is time to ask some very important questions regarding sentencing alternatives including; â€Å"Do we rely too much on the prison system†, â€Å"Are there better ways to punish some crimes?† and probably most importantly, â€Å"Does prison truly act as a deterrent to crime?† The Bureau of Justice’s statistics in the recent years have shownRead MoreCompeting Theories of Corrections1624 Words   |  7 Pagesin the office a state senator, I have been asked to prepare a detailed outline on correctional theory in general and then make a series of suggestions on ways to implement some of the nontraditional theories of corrections. In reviewing mass incarceration there is often criticism of simple warehousing of human beings who are convicted of crimes. If it is a violent crime there is a need to safeguard society from future criminal acts of a person who is convicted of the most heinous offenses. I willRead MoreDefinitions Of Probation And Probation Essay956 Words   |  4 Pagessystem. Probation, also called intermediate sanctions, is designed to do just that. Prison terms may be too harsh for some offenders, while traditional probation may be too lenient for others. Intermediate sanctions bridge the gap between prison and traditional probation (All en and Latessa 106). Also, intermediate sanctions help the criminal justice system to tailor the punishment to fit the crime (Allen and Latessa 106). More often than not, intermediate sanctions will be coupled with another typeRead MoreAnalyzing Intermediate Sanctions and Community Corrections within the Correctional Practices2500 Words   |  10 Pages Introduction Intermediate sanctions and community corrections are increasingly used to fill the gap between the classic sanctions of imprisonment and probation. The applications of these intermediate measures, including particularly community service, have proved problematic. Fortunately, measures can be taken to greatly improve intermediate sanctions and community service, in particular, can be improved through communication. Body: Analyzing Intermediate Sanctions and Community CorrectionsRead MoreJails, Prisons and Community Based Corrections1210 Words   |  5 Pagesonly on the condition that the offender follows certain rules and that he or she commit no more crimes. Probation is sometimes frowned upon and it is said that probation is being â€Å"soft on crime†. Of course sometimes probation is a good alternative to incarceration, not all offenders can be sent to prison. Now with the population in prisons rising we are trying to find other solutions to diminish those numbers. Probation is a good way to do that. Since 1975 the number of offenders being supervisedRead MoreProbation Is The Criminal Justice System2410 Words   |  10 Pagesoffenders through the criminal justice system. The probation also contributes in the recidivism by the way it applies humanitarian principles in its implementation. Lastly, probation as a method appreciates that not all crimes are supposedly meant for incarcera tion. The inclination is that based on the severity of the crime, the probation process looks at ways in which the ‘probation does not unduly depreciate the seriousness of the crime. It is also worth noting that probation as a whole is one that triesRead MoreCase Study: Out-Of-Town1959 Words   |  8 Pagesconcerning the agency’s recommendation. The second is if Casey elects to discuss her officer’s recommendation for some form of intermediate sanction, how can she justify such sanctions in general and in this case specifically. The third covers do you feel that the probation officer’s recommendation based on these facts is correct, why or why not. Lastly, which form of intermediate sanction would appear to hold the most promise for the offender in this case. Casey’s Response I would answer the phone and answerRead MoreIntermediate Sanctions : The Criminal Justice System1758 Words   |  8 PagesChristopher Fischer Corrections November 16th, 2014 Intermediate Sanctions in the Criminal Justice System Modern day prisons are being shoved full of a number different crimes, however many of these offenders are serving time for non-violent crimes such as drug offences or white collar crimes. Especially with the war on drugs and the large percentage of drug offenders being put behind bars for years and years for, realistically not a lot, the criminal justice system has been trying to come up