Crime Prevention Programs

Rodney L. Cotton

CRJ 305

Crime Prevention Programs

Professor Stephanie Myers

September 5, 2011

Introduction

Regrettably, the world we live in is one of corruption and an unsatisfactory criminal justice system. Whether because of condition, upbringing, imperfect decisions, substance abuse, or complete bad timing and chance, all of us discover ourselves in circumstances we'd rather not be in all through our lives; some of us observe ourselves in circumstances rather worse than that of most individuals. One of those situations is observed in the event of receiving an imprisonment sentence. On top of the sentence itself, the stigmatism of having a confinement record can make life very challenging - but, of course, in detention centers, one can't earn a considerable wage at all.

When a person perpetrates a crime worthy of a jail punishment, that person is sentenced to a particular amount of time in incarceration. That may extend from an overnight stay to a couple weeks or a month to a phase of years to a complete lifetime. Apparently, the more time an individual is sentenced to, the more time he'd choose to not expend. There are two fundamental types of sentence: determinate and indeterminate. The dissimilarity is a very fundamental one and signified by the names themselves; a determinate punishment is a specific period of time, such as, for example, five years for armed theft. The other kind of punishment, indeterminate, encompasses a range of time; the typical "eighteen to life" is a good illustration of this. (Hoffman, 1997)

The concept of crime prevention is an old as policing. In modern society, crime prevention is a major issue, especially important to police agencies or other state government entities. Crime prevention is multifaceted concept, ranging from an individual's responsibility for locking doors to society's responsibility for the suppression or prevention of crime. From these changes a myriad of crime prevention definitions, techniques, strategies, and programs have emerged, more or less effective in varying degrees. (Robinson, 2002)

Parole has been defined as the supervised early release of inmates from correctional confinement. It differs from probation in both purpose and implementation. Whereas probationers generally avoid serving time in prison, parolees have already been incarcerated. Whereas probation is a sentencing option available to a judge who determines the form probation will take, parole results from an administrative decision by a legally designated paroling authority. Whereas probation is a sentencing strategy, parole is a correctional strategy whose primary purpose is to return offenders gradually to productive lives. By making early release possible, parole can also act as a stimulus for positive behavioral change. (Schmalleger, 2005)

The mission statement for the Georgia Parole system is as follows: The mission of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles is to enhance public safety by making informed parole decisions and successfully transitioning offenders back into the community.

In giving a detailed history of the Georgia Parole system, the origination begins with the Federal Parole system, however parole came to Georgia in 1908 when the General Assembly voted to give the Prison Commission authority to implement a system of "parole or conditional pardons." Parole could be granted upon the approval of the full Commission and the Governor. The Commission had power to issue warrants and arrest a parole violator, arbitrarily allowing or disallowing him credit for time served on parole. After twelve months a parolee was eligible for consideration for a full pardon and restoration of his rights of citizenship.("History of Georgia," 2011)

Like the Federal government, the typical state strengthened its checks and balances by giving pardoning power to its Executive Branch. However, as a tool for rehabilitating ex-inmates and protecting society, a pardon was limited. It was too abrupt and irrevocable. What was needed was a more flexible system which would supervise after release and deter misconduct through the threat of revocation. This need was met by the introduction of a new type of clemency called parole, a word derived from French parole d'honneur (word of honor), indicating the released prisoner's promise to do no wrong. The first legislation in the United States authorizing parole was enacted in Massachusetts in 1837. The duties of those first Massachusetts parole officers included helping released prisoners find jobs and providing them with tools, clothing, and transportation at state expense. A wave of demand for prison reform in the 1870s led to the opening of the Elmira Reformatory in New York State in 1876. It used a limited form of the indeterminate sentence and a method of awarding marks and parole based on those marks. After release, Elmira inmates remained under supervision of the Reformatory for six months, during which time parole could be revoked if they violated release conditions.("History of Georgia," 2011)

During the next decade the Prison Commission observed the benefits of parole in equalizing disparate sentencing across the State. They also reported the advantages of assigning responsible persons to help the offender reestablish himself in society.

But while the general principle of parole was appreciated, the system itself remained primitive and understaffed. For example, there was no such thing as a trained parole officer; parolees were put under the supervision of an employer or other sponsor. Despite that, parole helped many offenders begin productive and law-abiding lives. ("History of Georgia," 2011)

In 1938, the Prison Commission was redesigned the State Prison and Parole Commission, and the administration of the penal camps and institutions was taken from it and placed under the State Board of Penal Administration. Relieved of prison administrative duties, the Commission was given broader powers to grant paroles without approval of the Governor and without limitation on its authority "save the welfare of the State." However, the Commission was limited by a shortage of funds and so had only six parole officers on its staff in 1940. ("History of Georgia," 2011)

In the early 1940s there were serious questions raised about the handling of pardons by some Governors' offices. Public concern led the General Assembly to enact legislation, signed into law in February 1943, which created