Best Practices To Improve Probation In Terms Of Law

Improved Essays
Probation in terms of law is the release of a criminal or offender due to his good conduct or behavior in prison under the supervision of a probationer officer (Abaninsky, 2012). The offenders are required to follow certain rules stipulated by the court. They are also required not diverge or abscond to any area that is not within their jurisdiction. In most of the county probation departments, the operations are not at their best and they are underperforming in important outcome measures. The current probation funding also provides unintended incentives for local agencies in order to revoke the probation failures instead of using them on alternative community based sanctions. To improve probation, the legislature should provide financial incentives to reduce revocation in county probation departments and to implement the best practices to promote public safety outcomes. Some of the practices include includes using needs and risks assessments, referring the probationers to the treatment programs, using graduated sanctions to probation violators, maintaining probation officer caseloads that are manageable and conducting program evaluations and reviews periodically (Gleicher, 2013). …show more content…
The offenders are awash with plenty of conditions once they are released. For instance, they are required to have a steady job, desist from possession of a firearm, put up with a curfew, obey and report to their probation officer and should not contact their victims. They are also required to refrain from alcohol abuse and to do inter community work which is known as community service work. When the offender has been released he faces a lot of challenges in that during this period he or she should not break any rules that govern the probation act or laws failure to this he or she will be sent back home (Trotter,

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    117). In the following essay, in addition to further discussing the characteristics of successful probation supervision, I will discuss motivational interviewing (MI) as an evidence-based approach to supervision, and its effectiveness. By implementing motivational interviewing into their practices of supervision, probation officers enable themselves to build interpersonal connections between themselves and probationers, and properly consider the specific needs and risk posed by probationers through conversation in a way that demonstrate both control (through change) and assistance (through assessment), thus satisfying the three characteristics of successful probation supervision. In successful probation supervision, a probation officer will ensure the establishment and maintenance of rapport. Rapport encourages the offenders (probationers) to open up to the officer, which enhances the officers capacity to effectively monitor the compliance of probation conditions and intervene on a continues basis to prevent the escalation of problems (Skeem & Manchak, 2008, p. 224).…

    • 1285 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though they are released this does not mean they are free, instead they are legally discriminated against for the rest of their lives. Yes, the offender would be put on probation of give parole, but they become ineligible to many things. For instance, “a result of his conviction he may be ineligible for many federal-funded health and welfare benefits, food stamps, public housing, and federal education assistance” (Alexander 143). Alexander also writes, “These civil penalties, although not considered punishment by out court, often make it virtually impossible for ex-offenders to integrate into the mainstream society and economy upon release” (143). This means that the ex-offender is at a second-class status once they are released for jail.…

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Probation Compliance: The defendant signed the Uniform Conditions of Supervised Probation on January 20, 2016. The defendant reported to the Adult Probation Department (APD) office as directed during the months of January, February, and March 2016. The defendant engaged in mental health services through the Terros-Townley Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. Probation Noncompliance: The defendant failed to report contact with Law Enforcement Officers on or about May 10, 2016. A Terros staff member called the Police requesting assistance to remove the defendant from the premises; the defendant was displaying aggressive behavior and was attempting to damage the Terros staff member personal vehicle.…

    • 159 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In order to conduct a comparison between two probation agencies, my first instincts was to choose two agencies that were opposite of each other on the United States map. The two agencies that I chose were the Parole and Probation Division in Salem, OR and the Parole and Probation Division in Jefferson City, MO. At first glance it appeared as though the agency in Salem, OR provided and implemented very little resources to its parolees that would reduce the risk of recidivism and promote offender change. However, as I began to perform additional research on both agencies, I not only noticed that Salem, OR had sufficient programs but most of their programs were similar to those of Jefferson City, MO. The similarities between the two divisions…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Project H. O. Pe

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages

    This program assist offenders with housing, education and employment needs. In traditional probation a probationer must avoid any further crimes, must remain employed, and must pay a fine and any restitution along with meeting his or her probation officer…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Federal probation officers help offenders reenter society by directing them towards helpful resources and supervising them in the community. They pursue education in areas such as psychology and criminal justice and find it rewarding to keeping the public safe while helping offenders reform. The officers use scientific methods, experience and training to predict risks and to identify ways to reduce recidivism. The need for these professionals is increasing as American legislators look for more efficient crime management methods.…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Consider a probation officer contemplating a decision to seek revocation of a client's probation. What theories might underlie such a decision? What are the goals? What kinds of information should the officer seek? What kinds of feedback might the probation officer want to influence later decisions?…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Probation Vs Parole

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Probation and parole are different programs but the sameness and the deviation of the two sanctions are the most effective alternatives to incarceration. Community Based Corrections are the basis of parole and probation along with the role of the community. An offender has the chance to be controlled and supervised and/or treated within the community as to not remain in prison. There are sanctions that each of these programs possess and the individual must follow, before being fully released to the community. Each program is granted by the judge overseeing the incarcerated and will not tolerate a disruption in the sanctions.…

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Release from Incarceration Inmates being released from incarceration and put back into the community can be a challenging stage for the inmate. The inmate could be released on parole and serve the rest of his time with good behavior or he can violate his parole, and have it revoked. The inmates are also offered programs that would help them transition back into the community more successfully. When an inmate is transitioning back into the community, they are basically changing all of their bad habits and creating good ones so they can function successfully in society. One widely used program that helps the inmate refrain from doing bad things out in the community, by supervision, after they are released, is parole.…

    • 1020 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Probation Shortfalls in Virginia Within the Virginia Department of Corrections is the Community Corrections office whose goal is to provide public safety, ensuring that the public is “free of danger, injury and damage caused by those who choose not to obey the law” (Virginia Department of Corrections, n.d.). Probation officers take on a great deal of responsibility in supervising probationers. Virginia Code 53.1-145, provides powers and duties of probation and parole officers. As an officer who is to supervise a probationer, the officer is to ensure the offender is housed, is offered and or placed on a substance abuse treatment program, and provides a written statement of probation to the offender.…

    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    By keeping these rehabilitated individuals out of the prisons, have created more space for the more serious offenders. The Probation program main focus is on Recidivism. It is a continual effort to provide strategies and treatment to achieve this goal. Studies have been conducted on Probation, and it is proven that recidivism rates vary depending on the place, seriousness of the crime, population, length of probation, and amount and quality of intervention, surveillance and enforcement (Schmalleger, Ortiz Smykla 2015, p.105). Pros and Cons of both Programs…

    • 792 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Overcrowding In Prisons

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages

    This is when an offender does not have to serve any time in jail however, they are required to refrain from any illegal activities, submit to random drug testing, as well as live in a supervised facility with enforced curfew. Offenders are given a probation officer. This individual will aid them in their transition from prison and ensure that they are following the rules. This is also the same individual who, in the event the offender breaks the rules, will send them to prison. The advantage to this alternative is that the offender is still able to work or engage in activities beneficial to reintegration.…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What drives the prison population to rise? Is it due to racial injustice, poverty, economic inequality or is it all of the above? While many do seek plea bargains from the courts, and with probation and parole this all intertwines with one another. Unfortunately, America has 25% of the prison population, with only having 5% of the world's population (Inimai, 2015). I have found some benefits, and some disadvantages to plea bargaining, probation and parole.…

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Community corrections programs punish offenders not only by subjecting them to supervision and monitoring their activities, but also by using an array of graduated sanctions or punishments that correspond to violations of the rules and conditions of their sentences. Community corrections staff have the ability to impose additional restrictions on offenders if their behavior warrants it, or if offenders fail to conform to the expectations of their sanctions. Additionally, offenders placed in community-based correction programs are likely incapacitated to some degree by virtue of their supervision and monitoring of their behaviors by the community corrections officials and staff. This monitoring tends to result in a reduction in offending by these individuals as they realize that their behavior is being observed and violations will be…

    • 1456 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1. Parole is conducted differently in each state (Latessa & Smith, 2011). Parole is also an important part of reentry into the community for offenders (Latessa & Smith, 2011). There are a number of factors that influence parole boards’ decisions to grant parole to an inmate. Good behavior of offenders during their incarceration time is one factor.…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays