Pros Of Incarceration

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The severest punishment inflicted in most societies today is imprisonment. It is also considered the most problematic of punishments. In lieu of imprisonment the offender can be given the chance to prove he or she can remain a productive citizen without incarceration. Probation is the most common of all forms of supervising offenders in the community. Community sanctions have proven to be an important form of sentencing. Other reasons for utilizing such programs would be the reduction in the number of incarcerated as well as the cost to incarcerate. When properly enforced, the requirement of employment plays a positive financial role in the community (tax paying citizen), when the defendant is required to “pay out of pocket” for services, treatments and/or counseling it establishes accountability and responsibility. The advantages of a properly run community sanctioned program are great in numbers and the need for creation and implementation of such is key to the future of many court systems. …show more content…

By diverting low level, non-violent offenders from incarceration and into treatment have proven successful in reducing not only the incarceration rate but the recidivism rate as well. For example, individuals with mental illness can be diverted from incarceration to mental health treatment and those with substance abuse issues can also be diverted accordingly. While there are two points that interception can occur: First contact with law enforcement and during initial court proceedings, I will focus on those related to