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SURVEY OF ATTITUDES OF SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGES CONCERNING USE OF ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION

NCJ Number
62996
Author(s)
P S WATSON
Date Published
1979
Length
47 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A SURVEY OF SOUTH CAROLINA CIRCUIT AND COUNTY COURT JUDGES TO DETERMINE THEIR WILLINGNESS TO USE ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY 17 CIRCUIT JUDGES AND 6 COUNTY COURT JUDGES. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DESIGNED TO ELICIT RESPONSES FROM JUDGES ON ISSUES RELATED TO IMPRISONMENT, PROBATION, AND ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION. INTERVIEWERS WERE ASKED TO SUPPLY CERTAIN INFORMATION FROM COURT RECORDS WHICH COULD BE USED TO VERIFY RESPONSES, WHICH CONSISTED OF THE EXAMINATION OF DISPOSITIONS IN THE LAST 100 CASES CONSIDERED BY EACH JUDGE DURING HIS/HER MOST RECENT TERM OF COURT. OVERALL, THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY SHOW THAT THE RESPONDENTS ARE WILLING TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION IN SENTENCING AND TO USE AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES WHEN FEASIBLE. IN ADDITION TO THE ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION LISTED IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE (PROBATION, RESTITUTION FOR PROPERTY CRIMES, WEEKEND INCARCERATION, SHOCK PROBATION, NIGHTTIME INCARCERATION, AND VICTIM RESTITUTION FOR PHYSICAL INJURY), THE RESPONDENTS NOTED THEIR OWN INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING INSTALLMENT PAYMENT OF FINES AND RESTITUTION, PROBATION WITH SPECIAL CONDITIONS, AND SYMBOLIC RESTITUTION. THERE IS APPARENTLY A SHORTAGE OF AVAILABLE PERSONNEL AND PROGRAMS WHICH WOULD PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, SINCE MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THEY DID NOT USE CERTAIN OF THE ALTERNATIVES LISTED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHICH ALTERNATIVES JUDGES VIEW AS THE MOST FEASIBLE FOR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS SENTENCED TO PRISON. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN TABULAR DATA AND SAMPLES OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND OTHER MATERIALS USED IN THE SURVEY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)