Jail overcrowding causes and solutions

Community Corrections

One of the most effective and fastest growing programs in the nation to help alleviate jail overcrowding is a program called Community Corrections. The program works to complete the sentence outside the confines of a jail which saves taxpayer dollars and provides the opportunity for inmates to be reintroduced to society in concentrated and supervised steps.

Community Corrections is most often offered to those who have been convicted of a crime but the judge and the district attorney believe the person has a reasonable chance to rehabilitate himself or herself.

Community Corrections is compiled of both misdemeanor and felony convictions and has to be agreed too by all parties in the case.

When a person gets released to the Community Corrections program they have to report to their CC officer within 24 hours and once there he or she is provided with a long set of rules and regulations that must be followed.

Because the program removes so much freedom and liberty from the program participant he or she receives day for day jail time credit for every day served in the Community Correction program. What this means is if a person makes it through six months on the program and then gets into trouble that person is considered have served six months of their previous sentence when he or she enters the court room (Evans, 1996).

Some people believe that those placed on Community Corrections are allowed complete freedom and can go out and re-offend with ease. This is not the case. Community Corrections begins with complete house arrest. The participant is allowed to be at work, school or a 12-step meeting. They can attend church as long as the time frames are pre-approved. The participant must call in any time they leave to go to work and when they arrive back home following their shift.

If a Community Corrections participant is questioned by police for any crime whatsoever they can be violated simply for being questioned. If their officer decides not to violate them they still have to report the questioning within 12 hours of its occurrence or face violation.

Following several months on the program the participant is moved to phase two at which time he or she is allowed one pass a week. The pass must be pre-approved and under no circumstances can the participant be out after 9 p.m.

Following several months on that program without incident the participant can move to the curfew phases. This is a time period in which the participant has graduated curfews of 7 p.m. And 9 p.m. For the remainder of time in the program (Evans, 1996).

Throughout the program probation officers do surprise house checks to be sure the participant in indeed in the house when he or she is supposed to be.

The participants are also given random drug tests and they are expected to pay monthly fees to the state. Many programs order participants to obtain their GED within the first six months or go back to jail. They are expected to work full time. They are not allowed to leave their jobs, move, or get married without first getting permission from their program officer.