Subjective perspectives and personal interpretation

Community-Based Corrections

Description: A court-ordered sanction that puts the offender back into the community but under the supervision of a probation officer. Probation can be assigned to follow jail time (provided good behavior while incarcerated), and it may include having the offender pay a fine, do restitution, and perform community service activities as well (www.pwcgov.org)

Advantages: a) Instead of serving time in prison or a county jail the offender gets an opportunity to return to the community albeit under stringent requirements; b) it is basically like a second chance for the offender, and if he or she takes advantage of the opportunity and follows the rules, it can be a blessing for the offender and a savings of money for the correctional system

Disadvantages: a) This is not technically a "disadvantage" but if the terms of the probation are not met (for example, if the person on probation fails to report to his or her probation officer on time, or leaves the county without permission, or uses drugs or alcohol) the probationer can be brought before a judge and sent back to prison.

Name of punishment: Community Supervision / Electronic Monitoring (deterrence)

Description: This is a program especially for "high risk" offenders and for sex offenders; an ankle bracelet worn by the offender is linked electronically to the monitoring center and sends a signal to the monitoring center if the offender wanders away from his home.

Advantages: a) the offender gets to be at home (or is confined to a restricted area of the community and may be allowed to work) rather than in a prison cell; b) the administration of this program requires fewer people and hence lower costs; c) the offender's risk of failure is reduced by 31%; and d) it reduces recidivism (U.S. Department of Justice).

Disadvantages: a) for the offender, there is a stigma linked to wearing a bracelet because many sex offenders are confined to home through this system and the offender might be thought of as a sex offender; and b) 22% of those interviewed about their bracelet say they can't keep a job because of the stigma of the bracelet and employers are reticent to accept bracelets.

Name of Punishment: Restitution (deterrence)

Description: Restitution is an alternative for a person on probation (or who has been incarcerated) to paying a "fine" (a fine is punishment; restitution is a form of restorative justice); the restitution is money paid to the victim of the crime, either to compensate them for their injuries or for the damage done, or things stolen.

Advantages: A judge can order restitution "…as a condition of another sentence" like probation, although "…it is possible to receive a sentence of restitution on its own" (Findlaw).

Disadvantages: The offender might have to pay restitution for the car he stole and ruined, and he might also have to serve time for car thievery; he may see it as a double fine.

Name of Punishment: Community-Based Correctional Education (rehabilitation).

Description: Educational services offered to individuals that are serving all of part of their criminal sentence under community supervision; about 40% of offenders who are offered community supervision as an alternative to jail time "…lack high school credentials" so having educational opportunities is a positive step to true rehabilitation (U.S. Dept. Of Education).