Community Corrections

1
Chapter 12
Community Corrections
2
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After completing this chapter, you should be able
to

1. Define community corrections and identify the
   goals and responsibilities of community
   corrections agencies and their staffs.
2. Define probation and summarize the research
   findings on recidivism rates.
3. Distinguish parole from probation.
4. Explain the functions of a parole board.

continued
3

1. Describe how intermediate sanctions differ from
   traditional community corrections programs.
2. Explain two major concerns about
   intensive-supervision probation and parole (ISP).
3. Explain what day reporting centers and structured
   fines are.
4. Explain what home confinement and electronic
   monitoring are.
5. Describe how intermediate sanctions differ from
   traditional community corrections programs.

continued
4

1. Summarize the purposes and outcomes of
   temporary-release programs.

5
12.1 Community Corrections Definition and Scope
Community corrections is sometimes referred to as
noninstitutional corrections.
community corrections
The subfield of corrections in which offenders
are supervised and provided services outside jail
or prison.
6
Community Corrections Definition and Scope

• Community corrections includes
• Diversion
• Restitution
• Probation
• Parole
• Halfway houses
• Provisions for temporary release from prison

7
MYTH
FACT
Modern community correctional programs are
invariably soft on crime. They focus too much
on rehabilitation, to the exclusion of
punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation.
Major prison crowding in the past 15 years or so
has made it necessary to channel into the
community, under supervision, many felons who
formerly would have gone to (or stayed in) prison.
continued
8
FACT
The priorities and operations of community
agencies have shifted to meet this challenge.
Many community programsespecially the newer
intermediate sanctions, such as electronic
monitoringemphasize punishment, deterrence, and
incapacitation as much as, if not more than,
rehabilitation.
9
Community Corrections Definition and Scope
Community corrections is a generic term

• Community-run programs are controlled by local
  governments.
• Community-placed programs handle offenders in
  local agencies connected to state or federal
  authorities.

continued
10
Community Corrections Definition and Scope

• Community-based programs have a connection to
  central authority, and a strong link to the
  surrounding community.

11
Goals and Staff Roles
Community corrections has traditionally
emphasized rehabilitation as its goal.
12
Goals and Staff Roles
The staff of community correctional programs have
two potentially competing roles that reflect
different goals
1. Seeing that offenders comply with the orders
of community sentences.
2. Helping offenders identify and address their
problems and needs.
13
Goals and Staff Roles
In helping offenders identify and address their
problems, staff does three things

• Provide services, such as counseling
• Refer offenders to community agencies for help
• Advocate for greater availability of services

14
Goals and Staff Roles

• The dual roles of supervision and rehabilitation
  provide a potential conflict that some say puts
  undue stress on staff.

• Recently, a shift away from rehabilitation has
  been happening, potentially decreasing staff role
  conflict.

15
Importance of Community Corrections
Other components of the criminal justice system
depend on community corrections, because without
it the courts and institutional corrections would
be overwhelmed.
16
CRITICAL THINKING
Which do you think is more beneficial to society
community corrections or prison? Why?
17
12.2 Probation
One of the most common forms of community
correction is parole.

• Probation can be thought of as a type of
  posttrial diversion from incarceration.

18
parole
A sentence in which the offender, rather than
being incarcerated, is retained in the community
under the supervision of a probation agency and
required to abide by certain rules and conditions
to avoid incarceration.
continued
19
diversion
Organized, systematic efforts to remove
individuals from further processing in criminal
justice by placing them in alternative programs
diversion may be pretrial or posttrial.
20
Probation
There are five types of probation

1. Straight probation, with no form of incarceration
2. Suspended-sentence probationthe offender can
   escape imprisonment by performing well on
   probation
3. Split sentencejail time plus probation
4. Shock probationtwo sentences first prison, then
   probation
5. Residential probatione.g. halfway house

21
Probation
A probation agency has three fundamental
objectives

1. Assist the court in matters pertaining to
   sentencing
2. Promote community protection by supervising and
   monitoring the activities of persons on probation
3. Promote the betterment of offenders by ensuring
   that they receive appropriate rehabilitation
   services

22
Historical Context
Probation developed out of practices used under
English common law

• Benefit of clergyaccused individuals were
  allowed to appeal to the court for leniency in
  sentencing by reading from the Bible.
• Judicial reprievea convicted offender could ask
  the judge to suspend the sentence on the
  condition that the offender display good future
  behavior.

23
Historical Context
The father of probation was John Augustus, a
Boston shoemaker.
In the 1840s, Augustus stood bail for select
offenders and promised to monitor their
activities and report to the judge.
His actions led to the first formal probation law
in 1878.
24
Administration
Probation is administered in different ways in
different jurisdictions.

• The federal government administers its own
  probation system under the Administrative Office
  of the Courts.
• Some states administer probation at the state
  level, others at the local level.

25
Process and Procedures
A probation sentence can be viewed as a process
with three basic stages

• Placement of an offender on probation by a judge.
• Supervision and service delivery for the
  probationer by probation officers.
• Termination of the probation.

26
Placement on Probation
In deciding whether an offender should be
sentenced to probation, a judge considers

• Statute recommendations
• Structured sentencing guidelines
• Recommendations from the prosecuting and defense
  attorneys

continued
27
Placement on Probation

• The offenders freedom or detention in jail
  before and during trial
• Presentence investigation report
• Characteristics of the offender and offense

28
The Presentence Investigation
The main task of the presentence investigation
(PSI) is to estimate the risk the offender
presents to the community and to determine the
offenders treatment needs.
29
presentence investigation (PSI)
An investigation conducted by a probation agency
or other designated authority at the request of a
court into the past behavior, family
circumstances, and personality of an adult who
has been convicted of a crime, to assist the
court in determining the most appropriate
sentence.
30
The Presentence Investigation
The PSI report serves a variety of functions

• It is useful in formulating supervision and
  treatment plans for probationers.
• It serves as a baseline for progress reports on
  probationers.
• It helps prison officials make decisions about an
  inmate.
• It assists judges in making sentencing decisions.

31
MYTH
An essential function of the PSI report is to
individualize justice by helping judges structure
their sentencing decisions around the offenders
unique circumstances.
32
FACT
In an important study, John Rosecrance found
that experienced probation officers try to
recommend sentences that are consistent with
judicial expectations, given the seriousness of
the offense and the offenders prior criminal
record. Rosecrance found that officers
selectively structure information in the report
to support the recommendations they have already
decided on.
continued
33
FACT
Information that is inconsistent with those
recommendations is minimized in the report.
Rosecrances research implies that the PSI report
merely gives the sentencing process a guise of
individualized justice.
34
The Presentence Investigation
A controversial practice involves PSIs conducted
by private individuals and agencies.

• Advocates say the process saves time and money.

• Opponents say it can discriminate against the
  poor.

35
JUSTICE ISSUE
PSI reports rely on information obtained form
interviews with an offenders family members,
friends, employer, and victim. Some of the
information contained in the report could be
legally classified as hearsay. Except for certain
exceptions, hearsay evidence is generally
excluded from court proceedings.
continued
36
JUSTICE ISSUE
Do you think that the probation officer should
be required to verify the information
interviewees provide about the offender?
37
The Probation Order
Although the length of probation sentences varies
between jurisdictions and between cases, it is
common for adults placed on probation for
misdemeanor offenses to receive one- to two-year
terms.
Those convicted of felonies and sentenced to
probation generally receive longer terms.
38
The Probation Order
There are two types of probation conditions

• Standard (general) conditions apply to all
  persons on probation
• Special conditions are imposed at the discretion
  of the judge and probation officials and are
  designed to address the offenders particular
  situation.

39
probation conditions
Rules that specify what an offender is and is not
to do during the course of a probation sentence.
40
The Probation Order
In recent years it has become increasingly common
for jurisdictions to include restitution orders
as part of probation.
restitution
Money paid or services provided to victims, their
survivors, or to the community by a convicted
offender to make up for the injury inflicted.
41
Supervision and Service Delivery
Once offenders have been placed on probation, the
probation agency must shift attention to
supervision and service delivery.

• Probationers are assigned to probation officers,
  based on their needs and risks.

42
Termination of Probation
Ultimately, the probation agency must make
recommendations to the court about how probation
is to be terminated.

• Probationers who have generally fulfilled the
  conditions of their sentences are recommended for
  successful discharges.
• Probationers who have violated the conditions of
  probation may be recommended for revocation.

43
revocation
The repeal of a probation sentence or parole, and
substitution of a more restrictive sentence,
because of violation of probation or parole
conditions.
44
Termination of Probation
Revocation can be recommended for two general
categories of violations

• Commission of new offenses
• Technical violations

45
technical violations
Failure to abide by the technical rules or
conditions of probation or parole (for example,
not reporting regularly to the probation
officer), as distinct from commission of a new
criminal act.
46
Termination of Probation
Often probation agents will give warnings or
tighten probation conditions for minor crimes or
technical violations.
47
Termination of Probation
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that probation
revocation is a two-step process

• An informal, preliminary inquiry to establish
  probable cause that a violation has occurred.
• If probable cause is established, then there must
  be a formal court hearing to determine if the
  violation warrants revocation.

48
Termination of Probation
At both stages, offenders have the right to

• Notice of the hearing and charges
• Be present at the hearing
• Present evidence and witnesses
• A detached and neutral hearing body

The offender does not have an absolute right to
counsel at revocation proceedings.
49
JUSTICE ISSUE
Do you think an offender should have an absolute
right to counsel at probation or parole
revocation proceedings?
50
Issues in Probation
Probation is an evolving, changing field with
many controversial issues, including

• Probation fees
• Legal issues confidentiality and privacy
• Caseload and recidivism

51
Probation Fees
Currently, a trend has emerged of having
probationers pay fees to help offset the cost of
their supervision and treatment.
Advocates point to the high costs of probation,
and say the majority of probationers can afford
the fees.
Opponents charge the fees are unfair to the
indigent and the costs of collecting the fees can
exceed the amount collected.
52
JUSTICE ISSUE

• Do you think probation fees should be used?

53
Legal Issues Confidentiality and Privacy
Counseling is often an aspect of probation.
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that a counselor
to whom a probationer has been referred can
reveal information about a probationers illegal
activities to the probation officer.
54
JUSTICE ISSUE

• To what degree should confidentiality govern the
  relationship between probation officer and
  probationer?

55
Legal Issues Confidentiality and Privacy
Another issue is the conditions under which a
probation officer may search a probationers home
for evidence.

• The U.S. Supreme Court has held that a search
  warrant based on probable cause is not required
  for a search of a probationers home.

56
JUSTICE ISSUE
Should a probation officer be allowed to search
a probationers home for evidence without a
search warrant?
57
Caseload and Recidivism

• It is not unusual for probation officers in
  larger urban jurisdictions to have as many as 200
  offenders in their caseloads.

• Large caseloads have been criticized for
  contributing to recidivism.

58
recidivism
The return of probationers to crime during or
after probation.
59
Caseload and Recidivism
It appears that large caseloads promote
recidivism because of the inability of probation
officers to provide sufficient supervision and
services.
On the other hand, smaller caseloads inflate
recidivism numbers because of greater scrutiny of
probationers activities.
60
Caseload and Recidivism
For several reasons, it is difficult to determine
how effective probation is in controlling
recidivism

• Deciding how to define recidivism
• Accurately determining whether it is the
  probation experience or some additional factor
  that is responsible for the recidivism

61
Caseload and Recidivism

• Research suggests that probation is less
  effective than many people would like in
  curtailing rearrests of felony offenders.

• In general, recidivism figures associated with
  probation do not seem substantially higher or
  lower than those associated with incarceration.

62
CRITICAL THINKING

1. What do you think makes an offender an ideal
   candidate for probation?
2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of probation
   vs. traditional jail time?

63
12.3 Parole
There are two basic differences between probation
and parole

• Parole is not a court-imposed sentence, and
• Parole is used with persons leaving prison.

64
parole
A method of prison release whereby inmates are
released at the discretion of a board or other
authority before having completed their entire
sentences can also refer to the community
supervision received upon release.
65
Parole
Parole can be divided into two components

• Parole release is the mechanism for releasing
  persons from prison.
• Parole supervision is a community-based
  continuation of the prison sentence.

66
Parole
Probation and parole supervision have similar
features

• Both involve specific rules and conditions that
  offenders must follow to avoid revocation.
• Both entail providing offenders with supervision
  and services.

67
Parole
There are also important differences between
probation and parole

• Parole rules and conditions are commonly
  stricter.
• Officers tend to be less tolerant of violations
  committed by parolees.
• Parolees often face greater adjustment problems.

68
Parole
There are two general types of parole

• Straight paroleOffenders are released directly
  into the community under supervision.
• Residential paroleOffenders serve part of the
  parole term in a community residential facility
  or halfway house.

69
Parole
There are four fundamental objectives of parole

• Provide community safety
• Promote offender betterment and reintegration
  into society
• Relieve and contain prison crowding
• Control the behavior of prison inmates

70
Historical Context
As with probation, parole emerged from earlier
practices

• Tickets of leave, used in the mid-1800s in
  Australia and Ireland. Inmates exhibiting good
  performance in prison could be granted tickets of
  leave, conditional on continued good behavior.

71
Administration
It is helpful to divide parole administration
into two areas

• Parole board
• Responsible for release decisions

• Field service agency
• Responsible for supervision in the community

72
Administration
As with probation, there are many differences
between states in the way parole is administered,
its organization, and it level of autonomy.
73
Process and Procedures
Besides helping establish the jurisdictions
parole policies, the parole board is generally
responsible for managing parole release processes
and making decisions to terminate parole
supervision.
74
The Parole BoardRelease and Termination
Prior to a parole-grant hearing

• The prisoner becomes eligible for parole.
• The prisoner prepares a parole plan describing
  where he plans to live and work after release.
• Prison staff prepares a preparole report
  describing the inmate, his adjustment to prison,
  and his progress toward rehabilitation.

75
The Parole BoardRelease and Termination
Increasingly, parole authorities are using parole
guidelines.
parole guidelines
Structured instruments used to estimate the
probability of parole recidivism and to direct
the release decisions of parole boards.
76
The Parole BoardRelease and Termination
Parole authorities consider a variety of factors
in determining whether to grant parole,
particularly

• Seriousness of the current offense
• History of prior violent behavior
• Prior felony convictions
• Use of a firearm in committing the current offense

77
The Parole BoardRelease and Termination
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that because
parole is an act of grace, a prisoner does not
have the same right to due process.
78
The Parole BoardRelease and Termination
Parole revocation is also the responsibility of
the parole board and can occur in response to new
crimes or technical violations.
As with probation, parole officers enjoy
considerable discretion when deciding whether to
recommend revocation for violations.
79
The Parole BoardRelease and Termination

• As with probation, parole revocation involves a
  two-stage hearing process.

• Although parole authorities consider various
  factors, the two most important factors are
• The seriousness of the violation
• The recommendation of the supervising parole
  officer

80
MYTH
FACT
If parole is revoked, return to prison is
automatic.
Though reincarceration is common, other options
are usually possible, such as placement in a
halfway house or reinstatement of parole. Much
discretion is involved.
81
Field ServicesSupervision and Service Delivery
Traditionally, most parole supervision or field
service agencies were administered by parole
boards.
Since the 1960s, many field service agencies have
been moved under the administration of the
department of corrections.
82
Field ServicesSupervision and Service Delivery
Parole and probation service delivery and
supervision are virtually the same. There is one
significant difference
continued
83
Field ServicesSupervision and Service Delivery
Parole commonly uses specialization. Offenders
who pose a similar threat to public safety or who
share similar treatment needs (sex offenders or
substance-abusing offenders) are grouped together
and assigned to the same officers.
84
Parole Issues
Since the 1970s, discretionary parole release has
been among the most controversial issues in
criminal justice.

• Proponents argue that early release provisions
  are essential for controlling prisoners behavior
  and for containing institutional crowding.

85
Parole Issues
Several criticisms have been directed at parole
release

• Parole undermines both retribution and
  deterrence.
• Parole does not sufficiently guarantee public
  safety.

continued
86
Parole Issues

• Parole is unfair because offenders with similar
  sentences serve vastly different prison terms.
• Linking the degree of participation in prison
  treatment programs to the possibility of early
  parole amounts to subtly coercing inmates into
  programs that are often of questionable
  effectiveness.

87
Parole Issues
Many jurisdictions have curtailed discretionary
parole release.

• Many jurisdictions moved to determinate
  sentencing and increased reliance on mandatory
  release.
• 14 states have abolished early release by
  discretion of a parole board for all offenders.

88
Legal Issues
There are two general categories of legal issues
that relate to parole

• Parolees civil rights
• The liabilities of parole officers

89
Legal Issues
Individuals forfeit a number of civil rights when
they are convicted of a felony.
Opponents argue that it is unfair to continue to
punish people who have paid their debts, and
that denial of civil liberties contributes to
poor adjustment on parole.
Supporters of this practice argue that is is
necessary to preserve public safety and maintain
high moral standards in society.
90
JUSTICE ISSUE
Parolees routinely lose the right to hold public
office and certain jobs, the right to jury
service, and the right to obtain some types of
licenses and insurance.
continued
91
JUSTICE ISSUE
Do you think parolees should have to seek court
action to restore their rights after release from
incarceration? Should the decision be left to
parole boards? Should the rights be automatically
restored upon release? Or should those rights
never be restored?
92
Legal Issues
If a parolees actions cause harm to a victim,
parole board officials and field service agents
can be held liable under certain circumstances.
Three elements must be proven

• The existence of a legal duty owed the public.
• Evidence of a breach of the required standard of
  duty.

continued
93
Legal Issues

• An injury or damage to a person or group
  proximately caused by the breach of duty.

94
Legal Issues
As a general rule, tort liability applies to
injuries, or damages, caused by the negligent or
improper performance of ministerial functions
(functions required by law that do not involve
discretion), rather than discretionary functions.
95
Strained Parole Resources

• Parole supervision agencies across the nation are
  currently attempting to manage record numbers of
  parolees.

• Moreover, an increasingly large proportion of the
  parolee population consists of persons who were
  released because of overcrowding, not because
  they were judged to be good candidates for parole.

96
Strained Parole Resources
The long-term implications of this predicament
are often unappreciated

• This further strains parole resources and
  produces further recidivism.
• This exacerbates prison crowding and the tendency
  to rely on parole release to relive crowding.

continued
97
Strained Parole Resources

• Typical public and political response to high
  parolee recidivism is to demand a get-tough
  stance that culminates in large numbers of
  parolees in prison.
• Parolee recidivism is quite high.

98
Parolee Adjustment and Recidivism
A key to successful community adjustment is
reintegration.
An important part of reintegration is finding a
satisfactory job and obtaining adequate
subsistence funds through legal means.
99
reintegration
The process of rebuilding former ties to the
community and establishing new ties after release
from prison.
100
Parolee Adjustment and Recidivism
The stigma of a prison record can result in grim
employment prospects.
Yet, research suggests that obtaining gainful
employment improves adjustment to community life.
Sustained unemployment causes emotional distress.
Distress reduces the motivation to search for a
job.
101
CRITICAL THINKING

1. How much weight should be given to victim impact
   statements when deciding whether or not to grant
   parole to an offender?
2. Given what you have read, do you think there are
   ways to improve the parole process? If so, what
   can be done?

102
12.4 Intermediate Sanctions
Recent dramatic increases in prison, parole, and
probation populations have forced community
corrections to accommodate growing numbers of
offenders. The field has also seen a decline in
support for rehabilitation, and a growth in the
trend toward intermediate sanctions.
103
intermediate sanctions
Sanctions that, in restrictiveness and
punitiveness, lie between traditional probation
and traditional imprisonment or, alternatively,
between imprisonment and traditional parole.
104
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)
One intermediate sanction is intensive-supervision
probation and parole (ISP).
intensive-supervision probation and parole (ISP)
An alternative to incarceration that provides
stricter conditions, closer supervision, and more
treatment services than traditional probation and
parole.
105
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)

• Offenders are chosen for ISP programs
• On the basis of their risk-and-needs-assessment
  scores
• Perhaps after violating regular probation or
  parole
• If they are nonviolent felons

106
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)
In theory, ISP programs have the following
features

• Specially trained intensive-supervision officers
  with small caseloads.
• Inescapable supervision, such as multiple weekly
  contacts between officers and clients and
  frequent testing for drug use.

continued
107
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)

• Mandatory curfews.
• Mandatory employment or restitution requirements,
  or both.
• Mandatory or voluntary participation in
  treatment.
• Supervision fees to be paid by clients.

108
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)
ISP costs less than incarceration but more than
probation or parole, so it is generally used
sparingly.
109
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)
Two concerns raised over ISP are

• The potential for net-widening, and

• The lack of demonstrated reduction of recidivism.

110
net-widening
A phenomenon that occurs when the offenders
placed in a novel program are not the offenders
for whom the program was designed. The
consequence is that those in the program receive
more severe sanctions than they would have
received had the new program remained unavailable.
111
JUSTICE ISSUE
Some states select ISP participants from
offenders who have been sentenced to prison but
have not yet started their terms. Other states
stipulate that offenders cannot apply for an ISP
program until they have served 30 days, but not
more than 60 days, of their prison terms.
continued
112
JUSTICE ISSUE
Do you think this variation among the states in
selecting ISP participants is fair?
113
Intensive-Supervision Probation and Parole (ISP)
ISP was introduced with much optimism in the
early 1980s.

• Unfortunately, the early optimism has not been
  sustained.
• In fact, ISP may raise awareness of technical
  violations, which can end up with more offenders
  being incarcerated.

114
MYTH
Incarceration for technical violations prevents
crime.
115
FACT
In the largest controlled experiment ever
conducted nationwide on intensive-supervision
probation and parole, researchers found that
offenders who committed technical violations were
no more likely to be arrested for new crimes than
those who did not commit technical violations.
116
Day Reporting Centers
One relatively new facet of the
intermediate-sanction movement is day reporting
centers.
day reporting centers
Facilities that are designed for offenders who
would otherwise be in prison or jail and that
require offenders to report regularly to confer
with staff about supervision and treatment
matters.
117
Structured Fines, or Day Fines
Another relatively new intermediate sanction is
structured fines or day fines.
structured fines or day fines
Fines that are based on defendants ability to
pay.
118
Structured Fines, or Day Fines
The basic premise of structured fines is that
punishment by a fine should be proportionate to
the seriousness of the offense and should have
roughly similar impact on persons with differing
financial resources who are convicted of the same
offense.
119
Structured Fines, or Day Fines
Among the presumed advantages of structured-fine
or day-fine programs are

• Offender accountability
• Deterrence
• Fairness
• Effective and efficient use of limited system
  resources

continued
120
Structured Fines, or Day Fines

• Revenue
• Credibility for the court

121
Structured Fines, or Day Fines
Among the problems with structured-fine or
day-fine programs are

• Collection problems
• The effect of other monetary penaltiesOther
  fines added to a structured fine may exceed the
  ability of poorer defendants to pay.

122
Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring
Home confinement is also known as home
incarceration, home detention, and house arrest.
Home confinement is usually considered more
punitive than ISP, but is often used in
conjunction with ISP.
123
home confinement
A program that requires offenders to remain in
their homes except for approved periods of
absence commonly used in combination with
electronic monitoring.
124
Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring
Home confinement programs did not gain wide
popularity until electronic monitoring equipment
became readily available in the 1980s.
125
electronic monitoring
An arrangement that allows an offenders
whereabouts to be gauged through the use of
computer technology.
126
Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring

• Supporters say

• House arrest and monitoring is a cost effective
  alternative to incarceration, that spares inmates
  the harmful effects of institutionalization.

127
Home Confinement and Electronic Monitoring
Critics say

• The practice encroaches on the civil rights of
  the offender and other people in the residence.
  It discriminates against the poor.
• The battle to find a tamper-proof monitoring
  device is costly for taxpayers and offenders.
• Monitoring is impersonal and removes the human
  and helping elements from community corrections.

128
Halfway Houses
The goal of halfway houses is to provide
offenders with a temporary period of highly
structured and supportive living so that they
will be better prepared to function independently
in the community upon discharge.
129
halfway houses
Community-based residential facilities that are
less secure and restrictive than prison or jail
but provide a more controlled environment than
other community correctional programs.
130
Procedures
Halfway house programming involves five basic
procedures

1. Referralby a correctional institution, a court,
   or a probation or parole agency
2. Administrative screeningto decide whether to
   accept the offender into the program

continued
131
Procedures

• Intake and orientationassessing the new
  residents risks and needs as well as orienting
  him or her to the rules, expectations, and
  routines of the program

1. Program participationoften including progressing
   through a series of levels, and receiving
   treatment, counseling, training, etc.

continued
132
Procedures

1. Termination of the stayafter satisfactory
   completion of all the required levels, or upon
   excessive rule violations.

133
Issues
Several issues surround the use of halfway
houses, particularly

• the relations between a halfway house and the
  local community, and
• recidivism among persons who have been discharged
  from the house.

134
CRITICAL THINKING

1. Do you think people should have the right to
   reject the placement of a halfway house in their
   neighborhood?
2. What could be done to bring about good relations
   between a community and the halfway house located
   within the community?

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12.5 Temporary-Release Programs
Temporary-release programs are designed to permit
inmates to establish or maintain community ties,
thereby gradually preparing them for re-entry
into society.
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temporary-release programs
Programs that allow jail or prison inmates to
leave the facility for short periods to
participate in approved community activities.
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Temporary-Release Programs
Three of the most common temporary-release
programs are

• Work releaseInmates leave for work each day,
  although usually for low-paying jobs.
• Study releaseInmates leave to participate in
  high school equivalency classes, vocational
  training, or college coursework.

continued
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Temporary-Release Programs

• FurloughInmates are granted leaves of absence
  from the facility for brief periods to accomplish
  specific things, such as attend funerals or
  search for housing or employment just before
  release.

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Temporary-Release Programs
Research shows that the vast majority of inmates
neither flee nor commit serious crimes while on
leave from the facility.
Research also shows that furloughs and halfway
houses dramatically reduce the risk to public
safety after an inmates release.
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CRITICAL THINKING

1. Do you think offenders should be allowed to take
   college courses, at the taxpayers expense,
   through study-release programs?
2. Do you think temporary-release programs help
   rehabilitate offenders? Why or why not?

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• End of Chapter 12