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Probation or Parole Officer as an Advocate for Sentencing Reform

NCJ Number
200701
Journal
Community Corrections Report Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: May/June 2003 Pages: 52,58
Author(s)
Russ Immarigeon
Date Published
May 2003
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article explains why and how the probation or parole officer should be an advocate for sentencing reform.
Abstract
Probation and parole officers are in a position to provide the rationale and knowledge that emphasizes the value of applying care management practices tailored to client assessments, the identification of resources, the linking of services, the use of local community resources, the addressing of supplemental issues (victim services), and priority for the least restrictive alternative. Probation and parole officers are in a position to tout the values and effective methods of community-based corrections, which means they can provide significant input for sentencing reforms based in effective alternatives to incarceration. They should advocate for community punishment and corrections programs, supervised intensive restitution, and work release. The Justice Policy Institute has made numerous suggestions for how to develop sentencing alternatives specifically for women offenders. They include putting together a list of women incarcerated for nonviolent offenses who have no high-security or high-severity rule violations in prison for 4 months; listing inmates who are eligible for various community-based options; allowing interviews with inmates to assess amenability and interest in participating in and complying with community punishment options; and listing reasons why particular inmates are not eligible and explore the ability of particular options to be used more widely and appropriately. These practices are recommended as part of an advocacy plan for substantially reducing the overpopulation of nonviolent female offenders in institutions. Such sentencing reforms would produce better outcomes for offenders, the community, and the criminal justice system. Probation and parole officers should support such efforts.