As the rate of and trend of crime keeps changing so are the sentencing trends. The trends that were used by the criminal justice system as punitive measures to criminals have since been adjusted with some measures being scrapped off for being ineffective and other new measures being introduced. The sentencing trends are dependent on the kind of offense committed with the severity of the crime being considered. Whether an offense is a misdemeanor or a felony is significant in determining which sentence is meted. The characteristic of the offender is also considered so that first-time offenders and habitual offenders are not treated in the same manner. This discussion looks at some of the common merging trends in sentencing (Banks, 2004).
Although seemingly synonymous, probation and parole have some differences. On one hand, probation is a form of sentence that a person who has been found guilty of a crime is awarded. A person who is on probation is basically under close observation by an officer whose work is to evaluate whether a criminal has changed in terms of their habits. When on probation, a person is required to report on regular occasions usually once a week or twice a month to an officer. While under probation, there are some curfews that a person faces like not being able to leave a certain area until the probation period is over.
Parole on the other hand is awarded to people who are already facing jail terms. For every crime committed, there are a maximum number of years that a person is expected to serve (Banks, 2004). However, if there is evidence that a criminal has changed his behavior and that he or she is remorseful for the crime committed previously, then there is a possibility of the sentence being shortened and this is referred to as parole.
There is a board that is constituted which is in charge of deciding who qualifies to be put on parole. If there is a clear change in the behavior of a person, then such people are released on parole and this is mainly given to people who have committed non-violent crimes. This is also done as a way of decongesting the otherwise heavily congested jail cells (Abadinsky, 2011).
Research shows that parole and probation are the most common forms of sentencing trends in the world today. Usually, if a person has committed an offense whose gravity is not as deep, such a person is likely to be committed to probation rather than be incarcerated according to Abadinsky (2011). This is mainly done as an alternative method of punishment to ensure that jails are not congested and that justice is done while at the same time a criminal is given an opportunity to reform.
People who are out on parole may have committed grievous offences known as felonies, but if there is a notable change in the attitude and behavior of the criminal, then some considerations will be put so that the jail term of such a person is shortened. This is mainly done to motivate offenders to reform into better members of the society as well as reduce congestion that is characteristic of most jails. This is also done to ensure that the rate of crime, in general, is reduced by a significant rate.
References
Abadinsky, H. (2011). Probation and Parole: Theory and Practice. London: Prentice Hall.
Banks, C. (2004). Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice. London: Sage.