Concept of Intermediate Sanctions and Its Relevance for the Probation Service (From Criminal Justice System: A Central Role for the Probation Service, P 84-104, 1989)

• NCJ Number: 121361
• Author(s): A E Bottoms
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Cambridge
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Proceedings of the Clarke Hall Residential Conference held at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, in July 1989.

Annotation

This document discusses how intermediate sanctions might guide probation services in the criminal justice system of the future.

Abstract

The concept of intermediate sanctions is essentially a desert-based idea. Desert theory takes the view that when considering what penal measure to take, the main criteria to be applied is the seriousness of the offense, with some secondary allowance made for the prior criminal record. Within this framework, there may be substitutability of penalties. For example, there can be a penalty which emphasizes deterrence while another penalty emphasizes community reparation and compensation. A probation service organized around the principles of intermediate sanctions; probation as a social work agency; and a service coherently related to other agencies and to the courts may be the probation service of the future. 13 notes, 3 figures, 15 references.