NCJ Number
194049
Date Published
2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This paper summarizes the demographic, socioeconomic, and criminal and substance abuse histories of those discharged from probation in Illinois in November 2000, as well as the conditions of their sentences, the extent to which probationers complied with these conditions, and the outcomes of these sentences.
Abstract
Data were collected on 3,364 adult and 821 juvenile probationers discharged in November 2000. Generally, approximately 50 percent of both adult and juvenile probationers were white, and almost 80 percent were male. Substantial proportions of both adult and juvenile probationers entered probation with limited school achievement or with educational problems; approximately 30 percent of adult probationers had not completed high school or received a general equivalency degree at the point of probation sentencing; and 39 percent of juvenile probationers were identified as either enrolled in nontraditional educational programs or were dropouts or truants at sentencing. Most adult and juvenile probationers' families had low incomes. Adult probationers were much more likely than juveniles to have been convicted of a crime prior to their current sentences (50 percent of adults compared with 20 percent of juveniles). Approximately 55 percent of both adult and juvenile probationers were identified as illegal drug users at, or prior to, sentencing. During supervision, more than 30 percent of adult and juvenile probationers were arrested for another crime, and almost 40 percent of both groups had at least one technical violation; probation was revoked for almost 15 percent of both groups. The majority of the offenses involved in rearrests were nonviolent. Overall, the study concludes that probation in Illinois is an effective and efficient form of supervision and rehabilitation for large numbers of adult and juvenile offenders. 3 figures