The annotated bibliography on impacts of community based corrections on the criminal justice system covers the issues discussed below.
Thesis Statement
The proponents of community based corrections argue that there is need to find an alternative to imprisonment of nonviolent offenders which is low cost given the financial constraint the federal government is facing and the increasing jails populations. This alternative to incarceration has been widely adopted in United States of America and other countries in the world.
This can be attributed to its ability to punish, rehabilitate, reintegrate and counsel convicted offenders. The results are safer and more productive communities. Therefore, community based correction programs have had positive impacts hence its wide adoption.
Introduction
Community based corrections in the criminal justice system are programs that offer an alternative to jail term for convicted offenders. This is based on the fact that convicted offenders will eventually return into the community and therefore the need to repair the damage done to victims of crime and reform the offender in order to reduce the risk of re-offending potential.
The proponents also believe that only a small percentage of these crimes committed necessitate capital punishment or incarceration. The petty offenders can also be punished using more humane and productive modes that consume fewer resources.
The history of community based corrections
The roots of community corrections shall be discussed. Criminal justice was seen as a harsh system especially to minor offenders. In the Nineteenth century judges had powers to delay sentences to offenders as long as they continued to behave well. This was eventually adopted and developed to incorporate a variety of community based sanctions.
Administration of community based correction programs
- This part discusses the roles, positions and assumptions on which the criminal justice system is operated and how community corrections fit correctional goals.
- The actors in the community based corrections are also discussed and their roles in the criminal justice system.
- The future of the community based corrections shall be discussed.
The role of community based corrections at the three major decision points
After the arrest of an offender community based corrections play a crucial role at the decision points. The three decision points which are bail, sentencing and reentry will be discussed in details.
The goals of community based corrections
The main goals of community based corrections are punishing the offenders while at the same time ensuring the safety of the public, addressing victim’s needs and curbing future acts of crime. This is done through various ways which will be discussed in the paper.
Conclusion
This part will cover the summary of the major topics discussed in the paper.
Annotated Bibliography
Alarid, L.F., Cromwell, P.F., & Carmen, R.V. (2007). Community-Based Corrections. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Community based corrections in the criminal justice system generally refer to an alternative mode of punishment for convicted offenders of non-violent and petty offenses. This has been popularized by the belief that convicted offenders need a form of correction that reintegrates them into the society and the need to use scarce government resources in a productive way.
Alarid, Cromwell and Carmen (2007) in their book Community-Based Corrections gives in detail an in depth look into community based corrections including their goals and assumptions they are bases on, the three major decision points in which the system takes and their goals. This book also goes on to introduce the history of parole and reentry of prisoners into the society after parole and how community-based corrections can be incorporated into juvenile justice.
Clear, T.R., Cole, G.F., & Reisig, M.D. (2008). American Corrections. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Probation and community correction practice and procedure in America is discussed by Clear, Cole and Reisig (2008) in their book American Corrections. This traces the history of corrections programs from their introduction to development in America and how they are implemented today. This text also gives the legal aspects of probation, community corrections and the intermediate sanctions used in justice system in America.
Colorado Legislative Council. (2003). An Overview of Community-Based Corrections in Colorado. Web.
An overview of the community based corrections practice in the state of Colorado is given by a research publication by the Colorado Legislative Council (2003), Criminal Justice Community Based Corrections Overview 2003. An Overview of Community-Based Corrections in Colorado. This mainly gives a comparison of the correctional supervision across United States. It continues to discuss in details the probation practice in the state, community correction programs in the state and how parole is carried out and the stakeholders involved.
Conly, C. (1999). Coordinating Community Services for the Mentally Ill Offenders Maryland’s Community Criminal Justice Treatment Program. Web.
Conly (1999) in a report, Coordinating Community Services for the Mentally Ill Offenders: Maryland’s Community Criminal Justice Treatment program, produced for the Institute of Justice discusses Maryland state community criminal justice treatment programs in regard to the mentally ill offenders. She discusses in detail how these programs are carried out in the state, the target population and the stakeholders involved and their contribution.
Cromwel, P. & Carmen, R.V. (1999). Community Based Corrections. Belmont, CA: West Wadsworth.
Community based corrections are discussed in detail by Cromwel and Carmen, (1999) in their book Community-Based Corrections Fourth Edition. They discuss the legal foundations and history of probation from early criminal law in Europe and America to what it is today. Issues regarding parole practice and the various methods of community based corrections are discussed such as boot camps and community service.
Gibbons, S.G. & Rosecrance, J. (2004). Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections in the United States. Denver, CO: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Rosecrance, a veteran with over twenty years of experience in probation and corrections in the system shares his opinions and experiences with Gibbons (2004) in the book Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections in the United States. The text discusses the history of probation and parole and their founding champions. It also details the three topics of probation, parole and community corrections giving practical experiences the authors have witnessed. It also gives recommendations for implementation to make the systems more effective.
Lurigio, A.J. (ed) (1996). Community Corrections in America: New Directions and Sounder Investments for Persons with Mental Illness and Co-disorders. Rear, Collingdale, PA: Diane Publishing.
Community based corrections in regard to the mentally ill offenders is outlined in a monograph Community Corrections in America: New Directions and Sounder Investments for Persons with mental Illness and Co-disorders by Lurigio (Ed) (1996).. This describes how the punitive measures of the traditional criminal justice system affected the mentally ill and how the community corrections programs are administered in regard to the mentally ill today and the positive effects this has had.
Molly, A. (2003). Community-based Corrections: Seeking Court Support for a Growing Need. Washington DC: US Judicially.
Community based corrections are also discussed by Molly, (2003) in an article titled Community Corrections: Seeking Court Support for a Growing Need. The author gives an overview of the topic and the growing need to adopt this alternative in USA not only due to the growing budget but also to serve the goal of correction better. Finally the author proposes that courts play a big role in facilitating community corrections.
Ortmeier, P.J. (1999). Public Safety and Security Administration. Oxford, UK: Butterworth Heinemann.
In another discussion by Ortmeier in his book Public Safety and Security Administration, (1999), chapter six, he outlines the correctional process, the philosophies it is based on. He continues to differentiate between institutional corrections and non institutional corrections and how juvenile justice is handled in regard to community based corrections.
Sieh, E.W. (2006). Community Corrections and Human Dignity. Burlington, MA: Jones and Hartlett Publishers.
In the book Community Corrections and Human Dignity, Sieh (2006) discusses community based corrections with regard to human dignity. The book also goes into detailed discussion of probation from how it started to how it is implemented today and the risks, needs and responses involved. It also links community corrections with human dignity and the alternatives we should consider for the future.