NCJ Number
134715
Journal
Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1990) Pages: 214-222
Date Published
1990
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A group of 90 adult drug offenders with gang affiliations were sentenced to Intensive Supervision Probation (ISP), while a control group of 68 offenders were placed on regular probation supervision; the data for this study were drawn from Los Angeles County Probation Department case records.
Abstract
The study focused on client profiles and offender performance during ISP. The findings raise concerns regarding the utility of ISP. The level of supervision afforded ISP clients was at the same general level provided to clients of regular probation supervision with the exception of drug testing. The two significant results were that new crimes by ISP clients were unusually rare, however, there was a high failure after 12 months. This suggests that ISP, with or without electronic monitoring, must provide intensive personal contact between offenders and probation officers in order to succeed. The high failure rate raises doubts about the effectiveness of using this type of middle-level disposition for gang-drug offenders who may be able to maintain their network of criminal associations and continue their drug use. 2 tables and 14 references (Author abstract modified)