Comparsions

Contemporary Issues of Probation, Parole and Community Corrections

Two majorly used forms of privileged punishment can be given to crime offenders. Called probation and Parole, these forms of punishment can help rehabilitate the offender by giving them a second chance to be productive and lawful in a new life, new beginning, and help the offender become a reinvented productive member of society. Probation, placed into major usage in the 1950’s, is used with supervising correctional officers to meet the needs of offenders who require some correctional supervision short of imprisonment while providing a reasonable degree of security to the community. Parole, also used under the supervision of correctional officers, is a reentry program which serves a similar purpose as probation after the offender has been released from prison.

Probation and parole are also helpful in these many others ways as listed: they help prevent overcrowding in correctional facilities which eases expenses on the American tax payer, increase employment and contributing to the economy through work release programs, reduce the risk of criminal activity reoccurring, and help the offender become involved in productive community services by participating in more positive environmental activities.

There are also many different types of probation in junction with conditional release programs that offenders can receive as part of their sentencing after jail time. Probation is typically used as a form of punishment today given by the courts when a person is found guilty of certain misdemeanor criminal offenses. However, as stated above, probation may sometimes be added to an offender’s sentence after jail and/or correctional time. For example, the courts could place the offender in jail for six months with an added six months of conditional release probation after jail time is complete. Within that time frame they are required to follow all probationary rules and conditions or they...