Community Based Corrections

Probation officers who are infrequently alluded to as group supervision officers, regulate individuals who have been set on post trial supervision rather than sent to jail. They work to guarantee that the probationer isn't a risk to the group and to help in their recovery through continuous visits with the probationer. Post trial agents compose reports that detail every probationer's treatment design and their advance since being put on post trial supervision. Most work solely with either grown-ups or adolescents. A four year college education in social work, criminal equity, behavioral sciences, or a related field is typically required. Prerequisites differ by places. Most probation officers have to complete a bachelor’s program as well. I plan to continue through college with my criminal justice major and eventually begin to work on getting my degree.

Community corrections is continually changing and has been for the past one hundred years. From the early to mid-twentieth century onward it has used three major models, the medical model, community model, and the crime control model. The major turning point for the American community corrections system that led to corrections as we know it today was in 1974 when What Works? - Questions and Answers About Prison Reform by Martinson was published. The system changed practically overnight across the nation. The notion of rehabilitating offenders was dismissed and a more punitive “lock them up and throw away the key” mentality took over. Presently the corrections system is still working in the crime control model, but professionals are trying to restructure how we deal with criminal offenders during and after incarceration. The difficulty in the restructuring is finding the balance between punishing criminal offenders proportionate to their crime, but also rehabilitating them to be productive members of society once they are released so that they do not recidivate.

The prison system realizes that an immense majority of inmates will be released; we need to prepare them for outside life. Without the efforts of educational programs, a prison can become a “revolving door, with inmates having nowhere to go but back” to the prison with no future (Young 1). A majority of the states offer a GED program, but North Carolina profits from a Community College system that offers classes in academics, auto mechanics, masonry, wiring, plumbing, and computer literacy. The Community Colleges offer two-year degree programs in many areas. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers business association classes to inmates over twenty-five years of age. Because of the excellent programs they have to offer, more than five thousand of about thirty thousand inmates are in the education program and these numbers continue to grow.

Community Based Corrections programs, also known as halfway houses or Residential Reentry facilities, were established as an alternative for prisoners to complete their term of incarceration in a community setting. Residential Reentry facilities provide a structured environment for low, minimum, and high-risk offenders while allowing them to integrate back into society. Specifically, Residential Reentry facilities provide offenders the opportunity to gain employment, establish financial responsibility, and obtain suitable housing. With the overcrowding of prisons, the ability to participate in Community Based Correction programs enables the convicted criminals as well as prison staff to lessen the loads that come with working in a prison as well as improve the lifestyle that comes with incarceration. As with all things in life, there are positive as well as negative outcomes to the participation of these convicted criminals in community-based programs. In viewing the positive and negative outcomes, the end

While trying to become a probation officer, there are education requirements that are needed to be considered for this career. Normally, only a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or psychology is required but to advance your career a master’s degree is needed.

Based on the information gathered from different materials, proceeding with jails, prisons, probation, parole, juvenile, and community corrections may range from many perspectives. Jails and prisons are different from a few perspectives, but it may also vary on the length of time to serve for punishment. Parole and probation are reservation options to help educate criminals about ethical knowledge. Community corrections are also provided to help keep the environment safe from harm. After evaluating the past, present, and future trends of community-based corrections, the program has helped develop other alternatives for offenders. This will help the criminals

Many programs have been initiated to help the problems of overcrowding and negligence. These include education, rehabilitation programs, work-release programs, and other preventative measures. Numerous education programs are offered to inmates. Some prisons even mandate the completion of a GED if the offender never finished high school. Many colleges in the prison’s community partner together with each other to enable higher learning as a possibility for offenders to obtain college credit. These services help inmates succeed in an inmate’s preparation to reintegrate into society with less chances of being arrested again. Offenders that are more prepared to leave prison are not as likely to commit a crime which improves the safety of the public and also saves money from taxpayers. (Office of Vocational Adult Education, 2009)

A life as a Probation Officer will be interesting and challenging. Probation Officers must have a keen interest in both criminal justice enforcement and helping young and old law offenders. Being a Probation Officer requires performing several duties and putting in a great amount of time and energy. This career provides a unique opportunity to intervene in the lives of criminal offenders and provide an opportunity for reform. The career comes with safety risks, but many current officers relish the opportunity to make a difference in

The residential community corrections facilities (RCCF) are now a common idea in the USA that directed at helping curb the rise in crime but at the same time decongesting the prisons as well as rehabilitation the deviants within the society. The residents live within the facility and not in their homes, they must also be employed or at least on part time jobs, the residents can also leave the facility at any time to go to verified work, the residents can also leave the institution for any other reason but these must be pre-approved.

A wide range of diversity in the field of criminal justice studies is of great importance. As a second-year graduate student, I was given an opportunity to work closely with U.S Probation and Pretrial Services as an intern. This internship allowed me to further my knowledge in correctional studies and provided the necessary resources to complete my master’s thesis. I was also exposed to various policies and procedures pertaining to probation practices while gaining a vast amount of knowledge assisting with investigations, liaisons between state and local agencies, and the intricacies of offender case management. Furthermore, I was able to form close relationships with employees of the agency who have assisted in my current career endeavors.

I believe that it is dire for criminal justice professionals to know and understand the history of the field of corrections to promote progressive change and enhancement. It is simply impossible to progress without knowing where the system has failed or faltered. I find this essential in a field that directly influences and affects humans. Professionals in the field of criminal justice are not only responsible for meeting the needs and desires of law-abiding civilians, but they are, more critically, responsible for responding to and reprimanding lawbreakers.

The overall Criminal Justice program at Trinity University helps students discover their own strengths and abilities, expand one’s critical thinking skills, master the three major components of the Criminal Justice system, learn and analyze current issues affecting the Criminal Justice system, apply theories to real-life situations, emphasize the importance of laws and sanctions for violating those laws, understand the process of rehabilitation and its efforts, and in the end prepare students for a successful career within the Criminal Justice field. The program is built on a strong foundation of social science, are combined courses with sociology and psychology, and theories of the outcomes of crime and criminal behavior. Trinity University

Entering into any field of law enforcement in this day and age requires a much more advanced understanding of our legal system and constitutional privileges. With such an enormous amount of recent scrutiny on law enforcement personnel due to the vast amount of negative publicity that has begun to surface through the media, becoming a probation officer seems to have inherited a similar meaning to that of any type of law enforcement representative. Being an advocate for the innocent victims of often times, violent crimes, holds some level of reward. It also forces new and established officers of the courts to maintain professionalism and lawful duties. A career in probationary duties is a great substitute to serving as a sworn officer; still, it is not for everyone. Civilian or non-sworn positions flourish in most probation and parole agencies these days, especially with the higher demand for space needed in prisons and jails and an increase in statistical criminal activity. Most people

Wilson, David B., Catherine A. Gallagher, and Doris L. MacKenzie. "A Meta-Analysis of Corrections-Based Education, Vocation, and Work Programs for Adult Offenders." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 37.4 (2000):

One of the most interesting things I learned from doing my research on community corrections in my jurisdiction is how the criminal justice system is committed to being fair and balanced. I have observed in a court arraignment how a judge briefed everyone in the court about proper protocols during the hearings .The judge said he could not start court hearings unless a prosecutor was present, and that he cautions the inmate the right to remain silent, and also discussed to the inmate his rights. Community-based corrections developed as a result of dissatisfaction with institutional confinement and in recognition of the problems encountered by inmates reentering society after prolonged incarceration. Belinda R. McCarthy, Bernard J. McCarthy, Jr,& Matthew C. Leone (4th edu.). (2001) Community-Based Corrections. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Group. In writing this paper I will inform and discuss the various programs and rules applied to handle offenders who have violated state laws according to the criminal justice system in NC. I will write about the following subjects in the following order: 1) Parole and probation, 2) Community and drug courts, 3) Pretrial release, 4) Victim aid, and 5) Community service (as a function of service of sentence).