Intensive Probation Programs

Probation is used by our criminal justice system as either a diversion program instead of sending offenders to jail. It can also be used to slowly integrate offenders who received a jail sentence back into the community. For the most part, probation is a diversion program for those offenders whose crimes are not serious or the offender is not considered a threat to society. The criminal justice system uses a risk classification system to gauge the severity of an offender’s crime and their behavior risk based on a number of variables. Offenders that receive probation are assigned a probation officer to supervise their probation. In most large cities, probation officers supervise hundreds of cases and often have a back load of cases to attend to. Probation officers usually only call or mail reports to their probationers and make occasional visits or calls to the probationer’s residence or job.

Regular probation is pretty lax and only requires the probationer to make follow up meetings to see their probation officer weekly, and in some cases, monthly. Offenders on probation are supposed to find a job, stay out of trouble, away from certain people, and refrain from using drugs. Despite all these rules, difficult rules for some, some offenders manage to keep out of trouble. However, other offenders often get into trouble and violate their probation, which can result in a probation revocation and the likelihood that they will be sent to jail or sent back to confinement. Due to the many failures of regular probation there are a number of intensive probation programs in effect that work to cut down on the high risk of offender recidivism. These intensive probation programs are also developed for higher risk offenders and sometimes used as “shock treatment.”

Intensive probation programs include daily contacts with a probation officer and smaller caseloads. The recidivism rates are lower than those of regular probation programs. The first type of intensive probation discussed is house arrest. House arrest requires the offender to remain at home at all times unless they have permission from the court or probation officer to leave. Usually this type of intensive probation includes an electronic monitoring device, like an ankle bracelet, that sounds a signal that the offender is out of the house. Other monitoring includes a device that calls the offender automatically to check to see if they are home or the probation officer will make frequent calls or visits to the residence unannounced.

The next type of intensive probation is shock incarceration or boot camp. This is usually used for younger offenders with the belief that they will be shocked into correcting their behavior. Offenders are sent to a military style facility for a short period of time where they engage in intense physical activities or training, hard labor, and other activities designed to provide strict discipline, build self-esteem, develop positive attitudes, and encourage leadership abilities. There have been a number of new programs established that deal with the young offender’s background that may be causing their troubles such as, family, education, emotional, and social issues. Getting to the heart of what is causing the trouble is the best type of prevention program.

Although the recidivism rates are lower than regular probation, intensive probation programs are not 100 percent effective but what is when it is all said and done. The programs are another effort to effectively deal with offenders instead of throwing them in prison for minor crimes, which can cause a negative self-image, increase one’s criminal behavior, and stigmatizes the offender.