NCJ Number
210003
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 85 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2005 Pages: 204-222
Date Published
June 2005
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the discretion of Israeli adult probation officers in recommending the use of criminal fines, analyzed their fining policy, and clarified the future tendencies of its use.
Abstract
Participants were 40 randomly selected Hebrew-speaking adult probation officers working in different districts. Interview data were divided into six main categories: professional qualifications of the adult probation officer, character of the criminal fine, economic circumstances of the offenders and their families, final destination of criminal fine money, legal characteristics of the criminal fine, and enforcement of criminal fines. The professional training of most Israeli adult probation officers is in the field of social work, mainly in the area of corrections. All assumed that their qualifications were not relevant to the use of financial penalties. The officers believed that the offender's rehabilitation depends, among other things, on the time and energy he/she puts into the treatment process and in dealing with family and social problems related to offending behavior. One of the main problems with the criminal fine, on the other hand, is the offender's immediate disposal of the punishment and the avoidance of treatment and follow-up. Also, the economic circumstances of the offender, who typically has low income, requires the investment in time to locate financial sources to pay the fine, while fostering mental stress that impedes rehabilitation. Consequently, the probation officers viewed the criminal fine as a poor alternative to imprisonment, since its punitive elements do not contribute to treatment and rehabilitative aims. They do not perceive the enforcement of criminal fines to be a legitimate aspect of their professional responsibilities. The general tendency toward low recommendation rates for the use of the criminal fine by probation officers was found in all four main districts of the Israeli Adult Probation Service. 1 table and 57 references