Understanding the Criminal Justice System CJUS 101 Community-Based Corrections

Probation Alternatives to incarceration - community corrections a. Contacts maintained - community and inmate - probation / parole / diversion / work release - home monitoring / halfway houses (1) Statistics - about as effective as prison - less expensive

Probation (a) Diversion - accept conditions - divert from court process - programs / community work (b) Probation - John Augustus (1841) - Massachusetts first state (2) Probation process - supervised / conditional / revocable

Probation - release into community - granted in 80% of cases (a) Found guilty - judge sentences - defendant accepts - conditions set (b) Probation officer - supervises / assists - heavy caseloads

Probation (c) Probation violation - judge revokes - revocation hearing - preponderance of evidence - modify probation / sent to prison b. Parole - release from prison - supervised / conditional / revocable - 75% leave on parole - some states do not allow

Parole (1) Granting parole - prison officials - autonomous parole board (2) Factors considered: - minimum sentence completed - type of offender - behavior - family support - available employment - support services

Parole - overcrowding - parole workload (3) Conditions of parole - treatment - work / education - associates - living arrangements - criminal activity (4) Violation of parole

Parole - held in state / county facility - violation of parole hearing - hearing officer - recommendation to parole board - release modified or back to prison Community correctional programs a. Work release - leaves facility to go to work - spends nights / days off in faciltiy

Parole b. Halfway house - brings inmate into community - work or school - close to release c. Guidance centers - provide treatment services - while inmate back in community