NCJ Number
188779
Journal
Sociological Inquiry Volume: 71 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2001 Pages: 164-193
Editor(s)
Sampson Lee Blair
Date Published
2001
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This paper compared the probability and severity of continued criminal activity between adult felony offenders sentenced to intermediate sanction options (i.e., house arrest, road crew, work release) and those sentenced to more traditional sanctions (i.e., incarceration, traditional probation).
Abstract
This paper used data from a sample of 528 adult felony offenders, from a medium-sized Indiana County released between 1991 and 1995, and compared the relative probability of rearrest, the severity of rearrest, and the likelihood of probation revocation for offenders with a sentence of incarceration, work release, house arrest, and traditional probation, or a combination of these sentences. Consistent with prior research prior record, sex, offense type and education were significantly related to the probability and severity of rearrest. The strongest predictor of rearrest and its severity were offenders with more extensive prior records. Additionally, women and more educated offenders were less likely to be rearrested, and if they were, it tended to be for less serious offenses. The sentence combination associated with the least likelihood of rearrest was house arrest/probation. Also, the combination of work release/house arrest and incarceration/house arrest were significantly associated with decreased chances of rearrest compared to traditional probation. Of the sentence combinations, only house arrest/probation was significantly related to rearrest, and if rearrested, they were for less serious offenses. Additionally, whenever any other sentence option was paired with house arrest, that sentence combination was associated with reduced chances and severity of rearrest. However, house arrest also considerably increased the likelihood of probation revocation. Appendices, tables and references