NCJ Number
178044
Journal
Justice Research and Policy Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 1999 Pages: 9-23
Date Published
1999
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews what has been learned about intermediate sanctions during the past 10 to 15 years.
Abstract
Intermediate sanctions are those mid-range punishments that lie between prison and routine probation regarding their restrictions and costs. Various intermediate sanction programs (ISPs) have been developed in recent years, including intensive supervision, home confinement, community service, boot camps, and day fines. This review addresses three issues: (1) of what did the ISP experiment consist (who did what, with whom, and for what purpose)? (2) What did the research evaluations find in terms of program costs, impacts on offender recidivism, and prison crowding? (3) How is the knowledge gained from this experience influencing current practice? The review concludes that the overall ISP experiment was, in terms of sheer numbers and investments, more symbolic than substantive. Also, what was done and the research that accompanied it shows critically important and consistent findings that make clear what must be in place for these programs to work. Finally, there is strong evidence that these findings are influencing the design of current corrections programs and, more importantly, are contributing to an emerging "community justice" model, which holds promise for causing a major paradigm shift in the way community corrections is done in the United States. The ultimate legacy of experimenting with intermediate sanctions for a decade is that no one program or agency can reduce crime or fear of crime on its own. Long-term solutions must come from comprehensive community resources that impact offenders as they develop their lives within the community. 13 references