Intermediate Sanctions

Intermediate Sanctions

Jennifer O’Neal

CJS 200 – Roger Long

University of Phoenix Online

Intermediate Sanctions

Intermediate sanctions are more restrictive than probation, yet they are less restrictive than being incarcerated. Intermediate sanctions have the role of relieving the overcrowded prisons and jails, as well as the understaffed probation departments. Relief is given by keeping free space in the jails and prisons which would otherwise be occupied by the individuals which have received these sanctions. Some examples of intermediate sanctions are: community service, boot camp, intensive supervision programs, home confinement, electronic monitoring, day reporting, fines, and restitution.

Home monitoring has three levels of monitoring which are curfew, home detention, and home incarceration. Curfew required the offender to be in their home during specific hours each day, which is usually hours during the night. Home detention requires the offender to stay at home at all times with exceptions being made for education, employment, and other specified purposes. Home incarceration requires the offender to stay at home at all times except for medical emergencies.

I believe that intermediate sanctions could be considered an appropriate punishment depending on the crime which was committed. If a teenager were caught vandalizing a building, and it was their first offense, I do believe that the judge would be making a good choice to put them on home detention. I say this because as a first offender, and the crime that was committed, I feel this would be a proper way to sentence the person. Although it may not serve the purpose intended, it would be a good choice in my opinion for a first time offender. If the offender was not a first timer, yet they had been charged with the same charge several times, I do not feel any of these sanctions would serve the purpose intended.