Intermediate sanctions have become especially popular in the South, and jurisdictions in other parts of the country have begun to design such programs. While these programs vary in their degree of formality and other specifics, all are designed to be safe, punitive, and cost-effective. Such sanctions include intensive supervision probation, house arrest with or without electronic monitoring, police-probation team surveillance, court-ordered community service, 'boot camp' type correctional programs, halfway houses, and community-sponsor probation programs. Other alternatives used in conjunction with such intermediate sanctions include client-specific sentencing, residential diversion, and victim-offender mediation. Advantages of such options include fiscal and social cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Critics argue that these sanctions are too lenient and place too much emphasis on surveillance and not enough on rehabilitation. Public safety is a critical concern. The ultimate success or failure of such programs will have important implications for future correctional policies. Information resources are appended. 95 references.