CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT - TWO ALTERNATIVES (FROM LAW AND CRIME, 1977 - SEE NCJ-52945)

• NCJ Number: 52951
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation
• Publication Format: Informational Packet
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. THE KIT CONTAINS A FILMSTRIP AND AN AUDIOCASSETTE

Annotation

EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT FORMS OF CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS FILM STRIP AND AUDIOCASSETTE PROGRAM.

Abstract

IN ORDER TO REVERSE THE INCREASING RATES OF RECIDIVISM, COURTS HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH REFORMS IN OFFENDER SENTENCING. ONE SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS ATTEMPTS TO DIVERT PERSONS WHO HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED A CRIMINAL LIFESTYLE. SINCE 1974, THE U.S. ATTORNEY OF ILLINOIS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS TAKEN FIRST OFFENDERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM AND REQUIRES THEM TO UNDERGO COUNSELING AND PROBATION, AS WELL AS TO WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A CRIMINAL TRIAL. DIVERSION CONTRACTS ENABLE FIRST OFFENDERS TO MAINTAIN A NONCRIMINAL LIFESTYLE AND AVOID FURTHER TEMPTATION TO CRIME. SUPERVISION OF OFFENDERS HELPS REMIND THEM THAT THEY ARE PAYING A CRIMINAL PENALTY, BUT IT ALSO HELPS THEM REGAIN SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF REQUIRED SOCIAL SERVICE WORK. AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE PRETRIAL DIVERTEES REMAIN LAW-ABIDING. RESTITUTION PROGRAMS, IN WHICH OFFENDERS PAY BACK THE VICTIMS OF THEIR CRIMES, ALSO ARE CONSIDERED SOCIALLY AND FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL FOR DIVERTING PROPERTY OFFENDERS. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).