Chapter 8 Residential Intermediate Sanctions

Introduction Intermediate Sanctions are sentencing options between prison and probation that provide punishment that fits the circumstances of the crime and the offender Widening the net occurs when prosecutors or judges choose offenders for intermediate sanctions who should have received probation

Residential Community Corrections Facilities RCCFs are a popular intermediate sanction because they: Provide more intensive supervision than probation and parole Allow offenders to remain in the community where they have access to more treatment services than prison Cost less than jail or prison Offenders can contribute to their families as well as pay back victims

Residential Community Corrections Facilities, cont. While there is no “average” residential facility, they do share these features: Residents live in the facility (not at home) Residents can leave the facility for work at a verified job Residents must be preapproved to leave for any other reason, with appropriate limits

Halfway Houses Halfway houses, also known as Community Corrections Centers, are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provide residential services for offenders who are either: “Halfway-in”, or “Halfway-out”

Halfway Houses, cont. Halfway houses date back to the early 1800s in England and Ireland, and originated in the U.S. in 1816 After only partial previous success, halfway houses received government assistance for the first time in the 1960s

Halfway Houses, cont. Levels System: A Form of Behavior Modification Increased freedom must be earned, based on: good behavior the amount of time in the program the client’s financial situation Workers at a halfway house are either: Custody-oriented, or Responsible for treatment and rehabilitation

Halfway Houses, cont. Evaluations of RCCFs typically examine program success or failure rates by comparing recidivism of residents with a matched sample of probationers or parolees Evaluations conclude: Treatment participation by residents is critical to success Clients that did not use drugs, had skill sets and community ties were more successful Clients who were younger, used drugs and alcohol and with more extensive criminal histories were more likely to fail The strongest predictor of program success is criminal history RCCF clients are more successful than high risk parolees, but just the opposite with low risk offenders

Shock Incarceration Shock incarceration refers to a brief period of imprisonment that precedes a term of supervised probation and is variously referred to as: Shock probation Shock parole Intermittent incarceration Split sentence Boot camp

Shock Incarceration, cont. Correctional boot camps began in Georgia in 1983 Boot camps were the most common form of shock incarceration from 1983-late 1990s Eligible offenders are generally: First-time felony offenders Convicted of a nonviolent offense Fall within a certain age group Meet certain physical requirements

Shock Incarceration, cont. The two main types of boot camp programs are: Prison Boot Camps Probation/Jail Boot Camps Programs are typically days before graduation to probation or parole supervision

Shock Incarceration, cont. Criticisms of boot camps are: Net-widening The confrontational style may have potentially negative consequences Problems with staff retention Evaluations of boot camp effectiveness examine: Attitude or behavioral change Decrease in institutional crowding Reduction in budget costs

Other Types of Residential Community Corrections Facilities Restitution Centers Therapeutic Communities Work and Study Release Women Offenders Living with Children