Meeting the Goals of Sentencing - The Client Specific Plan

• NCJ Number: 92036
• Journal: New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1983) Pages: 331-342
• Author(s): L N Berman
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The Client Specific Plan (CSP), a service provided by the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, involves the development of a sentence plan for a specific client, with the emphasis on creative and flexible sentences that seek to avoid the debilitating effects of imprisonment.

Abstract

Referrals to CSP are felony offenders, and the development of the CSP is initiated with the authorization of defense counsel. This requirement of defense attorney approval is intended to serve as a screening mechanism that ensures only prison-bound cases are selected. Upon accepting the case, a case developer is assigned to interview the client, consult with the attorney, and gather information from all who have a significant role in the case, such as the family of the defendant, victims of the offense, the probation officer, etc. Contacts are made with community resources to secure their commitments to participate in the plan. Some resources may be recipients of services, such as in community service, while others may be providers of services, such as in alcohol counseling. Each plan is individualized and multifaceted to meet the goals of sentencing and the needs of the community and the offender. The CSP, complete with documentation from the resources which will participate if the court adopts the plan, is presented to the defense attorney for submission to the court as an aid in sentencing. The case developer is present in court to testify about the procedures used to develop the plan and the rationales for the specific recommendations. Although critics of the CSP claim that the sentences devised are too lenient, CSP requires that a client be accountable for his/her crime through such means as restitution and community service. The client's actions during the sentencing period are also monitored to ensure that the requirements of the CSP are being met. Sixteen footnotes are provided.