Corrections

Micro – Macro

De Jure – De Facto

Corrections Reforms

Prisons/Jails

1. Adjust sentencing attitudes

2. Adjust sentencing practices

Three front-end, strategic sentencing practice ideals

1. Less reliance on prisons (selective incapacitation, divert to alternatives)

2. Shorter sentences

3. Less intrusive classification

(scuba-diving analogy)

Prison/Jail Reforms…continued

Selective incapacitation/Alternatives to incarceration (front-end options):

• Halfway houses
• Intensive probation (with an employment focus)
• Volunteers in probation
• Drug and alcohol clinics
• Mental health clinics
• Intermittent incarceration/Weekends in jail
• Community service sentences
• Restitution-based sentencing

Prison/Jail Reforms…continued

Selective incapacitation/Alternatives to incarceration…front-end options continued:

• Victim/Offender mediation
• Third party custody (community network teams)
• Expand the use of fines/day fines
• Community courts
• Pre-trial diversion
• Pre-trial release
• Bail hostels
• One-strike “hug-a-thug” programs

Problem – how to differentiate low risk vs high risk offenders

Prison/Jail Reforms…continued

Adjust sentence and circumstance, points #2 and 3 (also front-end options):

* Shorten the length of sentence

* Don’t over-classify/less intrusive classification

In sum, these three front-end points taken in tandem (less reliance on prison, shorter sentences, less intrusive classification), are the central component to America’s correctional system reform needs.

Prison/Jail Reforms…continued

Prison and Jail Custodial Reforms:

• Re-classify more to minimum security once incarcerated
• Prison privatization
• Prison Industry
• No forced rehabilitation programming
• Presumptive release dates
• Set up pre-release programs
• Expand furlough programs:
• Work release
• Study release
• Family furloughs
• Community furloughs
• Extended furloughs
• Graduated release programming
• Set up pre-release programs