Residential Intermediate Sanctions

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Residential Intermediate Sanctions

• Chapter 8

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• Intermediate sanctions alternative sentencing
  options
• Continuum of sanctions
• Gives the judge latitude in selecting punishments
• Increased control of offender in the community
• Situated between probation and prison

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• Widening the net sentence people who would have
  received probation to a harsher intermediate
  sanction, only because that sanction is
  available. Not because the offender needs more
  intensive supervision

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Shock Incarceration

• Brief incarceration followed by supervised
  probation
• Also known as shock probation, shock parole,
  split sentence
• Target population young offenders with no
  incarceration in adult prisons

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Shock Incarceration

• Goal make prison experience distasteful (shock)
  and fear of returning would make them avoid
  criminal activity
• Began in Ohio in 1965
• Success rates 78-91
• Limits prison time, cost, gives offenders another
  chance

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Boot Camps

• Georgia 1983
• Most common form of shock incarceration
• Goal instill discipline and responsibility
• Military style
• Includes therapy and education
• Some have solitary confinement

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Boot Camps

• First time felons, convicted of non-violent
  offense, certain age group, physical requirements
• 90-180 days
• Probation or parole supervision

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Boot Camps

• 2 types of boot camps
• Prison boot camps
• Chosen from the general prison population
• Paroled upon graduation
• Less time served
• Probation/jail boot camps
• Chosen by judges
• Residential facility
• Graduate to ISP or regular probation

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Probation boot camps

• Reduce institutional crowding
• Provide rehabilitation
• Punish offenders
• Reduce recidivism
• 4 states left Michigan, Montana, Texas and
  Virginia

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Offender Perspectives

• Offenders say that there are negative effects of
  boot camps
• No free time
• Limited visits
• Not treated fairly
• Humiliation
• High levels of stress

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Criticisms of boot camps

• Confrontational style
• Reduce self-esteem
• Increase violence
• Encourage abuse of power
• 8th amendment cruel and unusual punishment

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Evaluations of boot camps

• Decreases institutional crowding
• Behavioral change is the same as those that
  served regular prison time
• Many camps are closing. Very few left

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Residential Community Corrections

• Popular intermediate sanction
• More intensive supervision
• Cost less than jail or prison
• Offenders can work in the community
• Contribute to their families

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RCCFs

• Residents must live in the facility
• Must be employed
• Can leave the facility for work
• Must be pre-approved to leave for any other
  reason
• Curfew, pass

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RCCFs

• Differences in facilities
• Public or private
• Type of treatment offered
• Type of clients
• Facility size

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Halfway houses

• Residential facilities
• Structured setting
• ISP
• Halfway out
• Transferred from the DOC
• Halfway in
• Diversion program
• Increased sanction

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History of Halfway houses

• 1800s England and Ireland
• 1816 in US
• After a riot in a Pennsylvania system, a
  commission was appointed to examine problems with
  prisons
• Temporary shelters for prisoners to get back on
  their feet

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History

• Non profit organizations opened halfway houses as
  an alternative to release
• None for women they could rehabilitate
  themselves
• At the time, half way houses were only for food
  and shelter

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History

• During the depression, halfway houses were forced
  to close
• 1950s- opening of more private houses
• Beginning to add treatment and services
• Less expensive

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History

• 1960s houses started receiving government
  assistance
• More funding in the 1970s
• Funding decreased in the 1980s
• No one set model of halfway houses exists

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FYI

• Have to be referred by prison case manager
• Some offenders have to pay some of their costs
• Average cost 43 per day

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Benefits

• Assist in readjustment to the free world
• Help find a better job
• Allow closer family relations
• Help in staying off drugs and alcohol
• Allow them to help families financially

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Program Components

• Live in the facility and work
• Rehab programs
• Must work full time or be in school full time
• Chores, community service
• Learn to adjust to freedom
• Graduated release

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• Increased freedom must be earned
• Based on good behavior
• Financial situation of the offender

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Working at the facilities

• Staff works in activities that are custody
  oriented
• The other staff takes care of treatment and
  rehabilitation
• Case manager is very similar to working
  probation/parole

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Evaluations of Halfway houses

• Recidivism rates are examined to determine
  success and failure
• Approx 65 complete the programs successfully
• Job skills
• Education
• Gender (female)

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Evaluations

• Least likely to succeed
• Age
• Drug and alcohol use
• Emotional problems
• No community ties

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Other types of RCCFs

• Restitution Centers
• Targeted for property or first time offenders
• Own victim restitution or community service
• Get help with employment
• Release when restitution is paid in full

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Restitution Centers

• Violent offenders, recidivists and professional
  criminals are not eligible for most programs
• Some middle class not allowed because they have
  jobs and earn money to pay
• Many meet with the victim face to face to set up
  a restitution plan

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Restitution Centers

• Parole boards usually have to approve the plan
• Centers help with employment and compliance of
  the plan

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Therapeutic Communities

• Main focus is on treatment of alcoholism and drug
  addiction
• 6-9 months of residential treatment
• Aftercare after release
• Learn to transition back into the community
• Patients are screened based on suitability and
  readiness for treatment

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Therapeutic Communities

• Very structured and disciplined
• Peer operated and peer enforced
• Low completion rate
• Many drop out (25-85)
• Shaming and humiliation techniques

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Therapeutic communities

• Clients are recommend for the programs 1-2 years
  before release from prison
• May have failed other community programs
• Can be good for young offenders and females,
  nonviolent offenders
• Some dont have strong support systems
• relapse

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Work and Study release

• Often times called furlough
• Offenders are usually still in prison or jail
• Released for community service, work or education
• Very restrictive
• Inmates are called trustees
• Started in 1913 (Washington)
• More popular beginning in the 1970s

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Work and Study release

• Within 6 to 9 months of being released
• Receive help finding and maintaining a job
• Get help with reintegration
• Reduce recidivism rates
• Inmates must pose minimal public safety risk
• Placing offenders on furlough has declined (money
  and society)

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Work and Study release

• Studies indicate
• Inmates actually commit fewer crimes while on
  furlough
• Recidivism rates are the same as those who are
  released without this program

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Women Offenders

• Seeing prisons with more programs that are
  specialized for mothers with children
• Children often suffer very negative effects
  because of incarcerated parents
• Some people do not like the idea of these
  programs
• Girl Scout program

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Women offenders

• Many programs teach mothers
• Parenting skills
• Substance abuse treatment
• Job skills
• Education
• Nutrition
• Budgets
• How to interact with children