NCJ Number
183966
Date Published
2000
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the conservative policies underlying the record-breaking increases in the number and rate of people incarcerated in the United States, the resulting dilemma of skyrocketing prison construction costs, and the search for effective alternatives.
Abstract
If trends continue, the number of offenders in prisons and jails and on probation and parole in the United States will continue to rise. Crime and what to do about it have become more politicized over the past decade, conservative assumptions have prevailed, and crime control policies have reflected a tougher approach to crime. In addition, prisons have failed to deter crime and the recidivism rate among offenders is high. The high costs of conservative crime control policies have prompted initiatives to develop alternatives to imprisonment that can alleviate prison crowding, be cost-effective, and still be tough on criminals. Intermediate punishment programs rely to a large extent on community corrections to provide surveillance, control, and deterrence. The philosophy of "get tough" has been filtered through the economic realities of resource limitations and community punishment has replaced corrections. Although community-based alternatives are less costly, there is no evidence they will actually reduce the number of people incarcerated. They are currently being used in conjunction with incarceration and not as a substitute for it. Intermediate sanctions may result in greater increases in the number of people under correctional control, fewer constitutional protections for offenders, and more unbridled discretion for criminal justice professionals. Various types of alternative and intermediate sanctions are described, including the privatization of prisons and jails, intensive probation, electronic monitoring, and shock incarceration. Sentencing reform and the implications of conservative correctional policies are discussed. 55 references