NCJ Number
146355
Date Published
1993
Length
55 pages
Annotation
While intensive supervision programs (ISPs) differ in their structure and emphasis, many experts have hailed their advent because they can alleviate prison overcrowding at less cost than expanding prison capacity and without jeopardizing public safety and because they provide an intermediate type of sanction.
Abstract
Most ISP programs combine multiple weekly contacts with a supervising officer, random drug testing, strict enforcement of probation or parole conditions, and community service. This article is based on an evaluation of ISPs conducted by the RAND Corporation. The results indicate that the effect of ISPs on prison overcrowding is limited and strict monitoring may even result in the return of a higher proportion of probationers and parolees to prison. In general, ISP supervision was associated with more technical parole violations and a higher rate of commitments to prison and jail. This analysis shows that ISP is more expensive than previously believed and may not represent cost savings over imprisonment or regular probation or parole. At none of the sites included in this evaluation did ISP participants experience a lower rate of recidivism than other offenders, despite the intensity of the program. The data did not help researchers distinguish which subgroups of offenders would be best served by ISP. 3 tables, 9 figures, 28 notes, and 51 references