NCJ Number
53369
Date Published
1978
Length
49 pages
Annotation
ATTENDANCE CENTERS, COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS, DAY PAROLE, AND SPLIT SENTENCES ARE DISCUSSED AS ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT IN THIS SUMMARY OF A SEMINAR CONDUCTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE SEMINAR PRIMARILY WAS TO COUNTER PRESS REPORTS THAT HAD ACCUSED THE AUSTRALIAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF IMPOSING DISCRETIONARY AND INAPPROPRIATE SENTENCES. ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT WERE DISCUSSED AS PROVIDING MEANS FOR INCREASED SENTENCING OPTIONS. IN PROPOSING ALTERNATIVES, THE GOALS OF RETRIBUTION, PUNISHMENT, DETERRENCE, ATONEMENT, AND TREATMENT ALL WERE CONSIDERED. ATTENDANCE CENTERS ARE COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES THAT REQUIRE THE OFFENDER TO SPEND 18 HOURS PER WEEK FOR COUNSELING AND WORKING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. ATTENDANCE CENTERS ARE ECONOMICAL AND PROVIDE SOME DETERRENCE SINCE THEY RESTRICT LEISURE TIME AND ACTIVITIES. COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS REQUIRE OFFENDERS TO DONATE BETWEEN 40 AND 240 HOURS OF THEIR TIME TO A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT. THE HOURS MUST BE DENOTED WITHIN A 1-YEAR PERIOD. SERVICE ORDERS ARE MORE DEMANDING THAN PROBATION, BUT LESS STRINGENT THAN IMPRISONMENT. IN THE EVENT OF A BREACH OF ORDER, A FINE MAY BE IMPOSED, THE ORDER'S HOURS INCREASED, OR THE CASE RETURNED TO COURT. DAY PAROLE IS DESIGNED TO KEEP RELATIVELY SERIOUS OFFENDERS OUT OF PRISON AND GUIDE THEM IN RESPECTING SOCIETY'S NORMS. IT IS SIMILAR TO WORK RELEASE WHICH IS GRANTED TO LONG-TERM PRISONERS BEFORE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE. DAY PAROLE ALLOWS OFFENDERS TO RETAIN TIES WITH THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES WHILE SPENDING THEIR NIGHTS IN HALFWAY HOUSES. SPLIT SENTENCES AFFORD THE OPTION OF DIVIDING A LONG SENTENCE INTO A TERM OF TOTAL IMPRISONMENT AND A PERIOD OF COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT. TABLES DESCRIBING THE AUSTRALIAN PRISON POPULATIONS FOR THE YEARS 1945 TO 1976 ARE APPENDED. (MLC)