Pros And Cons Of Probation

The word “probation” is derived from the Latin word “probatus” meaning “tested” or “proved” (Chakrabarti, 1999). Hence, Probation is defined as a sentence or adjudication of conditional and revocable release under the supervision of a probation officer. Probation is a sentencing alternative to incarceration which permits the offender to remain in the community under certain conditions (Ellsworth, 1996). Probation system was introduced in criminal justice with the intent of reforming and reintegrating offenders involved in minor offences through effective correctional treatment in the community away from prisons (Ghosh, 2001). Probation is a method of correctional treatment of the offender and his/her family, the discovery and correction of

It is composed of six observations that may be formulated as follows: “prison does not bring down the rate of crime”, “confinement causes recidivism”, “prison necessarily produces habitual offenders”, “prison encourages the structuring of criminal milieu”, “the situation open to prison-leavers is conducive to recidivism”, “prison produces offenders indirectly by impoverishing the prisoner’s family” (Foucault, 1975).This criticism shows that incarceration is not a complete solution for reformation of the offenders, the alternative option to rehabilitate offenders through probation system may be an effective

The primary goal of the probation system is crime reduction and protection of community, with treatment oriented activities better left to agencies in the community better able to meet the social needs of the offender (Martinson and Wilks, 1977). The American Probation and Parole Association (2001) acknowledged that probation sustains the offenders’ ability to continue working and to protect his family’s ability to continue working and to protect his family’s welfare while avoiding the stigma and possible damaging effects of imprisonment. Similarly, United Nation Institute for Crime Prevention delineated the goal of probation system to enhance rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into the community in order to strengthen their ability to live peacefully with others in the community setting (UNAFEI,