Chapter 6Probation

Is there a need for alternatives to incarceration?

What alternatives

What type of offenders

Community corrections Acts (CCAs):

-State laws

-financial incentives

-local agencies

-develop alternatives

Community supervision

Offender

Court-imposed sanctions

Specific time period

Conditions

Pretrial diversion

Deferred adjudication

Suspended sentence

Suspended execution of sentence

Precursor to probation:

-Benefit of clergy

Judicial reprieve/suspended sentence

Recognizance

Mass. 1841: John Augustus (father of probation)-public drunkenness

1843-women and juveniles

1102 people: 1 -20 forfeited bail

1878: first probation law in US

Today:

60% of 7 million under correctional supervision

Men 77%/23% women

Components: PO discretion

1. Presentence investigation

2. Case worker

3. Broker of services

4. Surveillance

Conditions:

Standard: Everyone

Special: offender specific

Intensive Probation Supervision (IPS):

-greater community supervision

-offenders pose greater threat

-4%

Probation-Enhancement IPS:

-closer scrutiny

-20-25 caseload per PO

-rates of violation up/down?

Release from probation:

-served time

-fulfilled conditions early

-revocation

Revocation:-legal-technicalMempha v. Rhay (1976)1. Counsel

Gagnon v. Scarpelli (1973)1. Written notice2. Disclosure3. Testify/witnesses4. Cross examine5. Neutral hearing body

Evaluating:

-cost effective

-measure of punitiveness

-surveillance alone not enough

Paying back the community:-community service site intake placement termination Effectiveness: 50-85% completionPrison diversionRecidivism rates

Restitution:

-court ordered

-payment

-victim

1925-1980’sTerm of probation-forfeited /prison

Victim rights:

Victim compensation funds:-government operated-victims apply

Fines: fixed amount imposed by judge

-punitive

-flexible

-other sanctions

-income producing

Day fines:

-variable

-offense

-income

Day fines:

-offense-punishment units

-converted to days of pay

-based on offender’s daily net income

-multiplied by punishment units

Day fines; not paid daily

-reasonable terms

-incentives

-swift action