Parole and Probation: Criminal Justice
Assignment:
Probation is essentially a sentence of imprisonment that is suspended. Offenders who violate the conditions of probation may be sent to prison to serve the remainder of their sentence. Likewise, parole is a form of supervised early release. As in the case of probation, offenders who violate the terms of parole may be returned to prison to complete the remaining portion of their sentences. On any given day in America there are about three quarters of a million people on parole (12,358 in North Carolina) and three million people on probation (102,483 in North Carolina).
List and discuss the disadvantages of probation and parole (including the relatively low degree of punishment inherent in both options) and the advantages (including the lower cost versus imprisonment). Decide whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or how such a decision can be reached in individual circumstances. How well do the terms of probation (or parole) serve the rights of individuals? How well do they serve the needs of the community? What issues are not addressed?