NCJ Number
183830
Journal
Sociological Inquiry Volume: 70 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 117-136
Editor(s)
Sampson L. Blair,
Bernard Farber
Date Published
2000
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study examined the perceived certainty of sanctions among offenders mandated to intensive probation and the effects of varying levels of perceived sanction certainty in deterring offenders from violating probation requirements, based on data from an intensive supervision probation program in New Jersey.
Abstract
Data were collected on individuals who entered New Jersey's intensive drug probation program between January 1989 and April 1990. Of 546 individuals who entered the program, 516 were interviewed. The goal of the study was to predict a drug use relapse in intensive supervision probation (ISP). Several measures relevant to relapse were assessed, including offender attitudes toward ISP, perceived certainty of punishment, criminal history, and drug and alcohol use. Study findings supported the salience of offender perceptions of sanction certainty on intensive probation outcomes. Controlling for measures that were previously found to correlate with criminal behavior and program attrition, offender perceptions that a "street smart" individual would get caught if in violation of program requirements remained a significant predictor of program completion. Demographic measures of race and age were also significant predictors of outcome status. Policy implications of the findings are discussed, with emphasis on efforts to reduce failures in alternative to incarceration programs. 67 references, 1 endnote, and 4 tables