Incarceration Alternatives Pros and Cons
In some ways, there are nearly as many different pros and cons to incarceration alternatives as there are varieties of such pros and cons. As a social institution, incarceration has a definite function in helping to keep those who would harm other members of society from doing so. However, that same social institution can overlook or miss several other functions that are needed in society for those who have transgressed its legal boundaries. Some people commit legal transgressions because they have other needs (such as mental or chemical dependency related) that are not being met. Moreover, when incarcerated, those needs still are not met, and such people may simply revolve from states of incarceration to temporary terms of freedom. Despite the fact that there are varying advantages and disadvantages to alternatives to incarceration, they generally can be viewed from a streamlined perspective in which those pros and cons are categorized. Most advantages pertain to the fact that incarceration alternatives allow people to address the specific problems associated with their legal difficulties, while most disadvantages relate to the fact that the punitive element of incarceration is de-emphasized with such options.
The principal disadvantage of typical alternatives to incarceration revolves about a dearth of the gravity of the sort of punitive connotations associated with imprisonment. A brief overview of some of the more typical alternatives to incarceration proves this point. Criminal offenders who are assigned to substance abuse programs, mental health facilities, and halfway houses are able to focus on the overarching problems that contributed to their criminal behavior. Still, there is a marked difference between these programs and incarceration, especially since the latter is largely designed to punish people. There are several aspects of incarceration that reinforce this function. Prisoners are isolated...
Successful achievement of program requirements will often lead to a dropping or reduction of the charges while failure may bring back or enhance the penalties that are involved. Charges dismissed because of a diversion program will still lead to additional criminal history points under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines if there was a finding of guilt by a court or the defendant pleaded guilty or otherwise admitted guilt in open
prison overcrowding and recidivism major problems in criminal justice, alternatives to incarceration become more salient than ever before. One of the most common alternatives to incarceration is probation: an alternative sentence to prison time that generally involves supervision by an appointed parole officer or group of officers. Probation allows the individual to go about his or her daily life including occupational activities and family life. Therefore, probation does reduce
The High Incarceration Rate: A Significant Issue Faced by the Criminal Justice System Abstract This paper examines the problem of the high rate of incarceration in America. This is a major challenge for the criminal justice system, as many people, families and communities suffer as a result of this high rate. It prevents individuals from improving their lives and can lead to the deterioration of families and neighborhoods. The paper discusses some
" (Sherman and Strang, 2007) Findings include that restorative justice: (1) substantially reduced repeat offending for some offenders but not all; (2) Doubled (or more) the offense brought to justice as diversions from criminal justice; (3) reduced crime victims' post-traumatic stress symptoms and related costs; (4)provided both victims and offenders with more satisfaction with justice than criminal justice; (5) reduced desires of victim for violent revenge on offenders; (6) reduced
In this drug court program there are five phases: a) detoxification (if necessary), comprehensive assessments, a short-term treatment plan and individual and group counseling services; and b) a more intensive individual treatment plan, group and individual therapy, weekly court hearings, meetings with the probation officer and "required attendance at AA 12 Step recovery meetings daily; c) the 2nd phase activities continue but in this phase they also focus on
For example, offenders without job skills can receive job training, while offenders with emotional problems can be ordered to attend the appropriate counseling. (Native American and Alaskan Technical Assistance Program, 2005). Because such a huge proportion of crimes are drug-related or committed by addicts, completion of in-patient or out-patient substance abuse programs is often an integral part of an offender's alternative sentencing program. Furthermore, alternative sentencing strives to make
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