12.3: Probation
- Page ID
- 48452
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Probation
Probation is one of the most common alternatives to incarceration. Probation is often viewed as effective and economical especially for first-time offenders and less serious offenses as this allows society to exert some level of control and additional rules over the offender and yet is far less costly than jail or prison. Probation allows the offender to maintain ties in their community, keep productive employment, and maintain relationships with their family. The rules of probation can be altered to fit the level of supervision needed as well as other needs of specific offenders.
John Augustus
John Augustus is known as the father of probation. John was a successful retired businessman in Boston in the 1800s. John would often watch live court as a form of entertainment yet he was frustrated with how many convicted criminals were treated. He felt that many individuals could be helped and set on a better path in life. He arranged with the judge to take one of the sentenced individuals into his care to see if he could set their life straight. He asked the judge to give him a little bit of time to work with the individual and after that period of time they would appear back in court. If the judge liked what he had done with the individual then the individual would be released and if the judge was not pleased then he could sentence them at that time anyway. Fortunately, John was successful in helping individuals find lawful employment and learn legitimate trades. Massachusetts developed the first statewide probation system in 1878 and by 1951 all states had working probation systems.
Modern Probation
In modern times probation officers do not take offenders home with them but they are in charge of supervising the offender who remains in the community. The offender must report to the officer a certain number of time each week or month for however long the judge determined. While on probation there may be additional conditions such as attending AA meetings, finding a job, staying out of bars, and so on. If the offender does not meet with their officer or does not follow the conditions they can be brought back in front of the court for a revocation hearing and resentenced to a more harsh punishment if their probation is revoked. The level of supervision an individual receives depends in part on their previous history with crime as well as the seriousness of the current offense.
In 2022, about 3,668,800 individuals were under a sentence of probation. Probation is a more common sentence than jail or prison combined. Many jurisdictions have a high number of individuals on probation as a potential solution for some of the overcrowding in their institution. Even the most intensive probation is less costly than a stay in jail or prison. Probation can be combined with other types of punishment such as the payment of fines and the use of electronic monitoring.