Posted: December 28th, 2021

Probation Effectiveness

Probation Effectiveness

A count of years into the 21st century and trends continue to change in all factions of the societal life including law. An example will be probation and diversion in administering the punishment to wrongdoers. This portrays a dynamic approach to solving life issues in contemporary times.
Probation is a process that is executed after conviction. It entails release into the community of a convicted offender, with conditions and under supervisions by a probation officer. It avoids incarceration of the victim, as the victim stays at home while adhering to the sanctions imposed by the probation agency or the court of law. In connection to these, a presentence report is integrated to make out the most suitable sentence to the offenders. It is also supplemented by a privately made report, called the client-specific plan. All these culminate to facilitate efficiency in the whole process. Some of the typical conditions associated with probation includes: drug testing, fines in form of monetary penalties and becoming unemployed among others. Reports indicate that in 2008 – Affordable Custom Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay from Pro Writers in the entire US, 47% of those put on probation had been convicted of committing felony. This implied the gravity of the crimes and the entire matter at hand.
Diversion on its part entails the suspension or the actual halting of the official criminal proceedings before the conviction of an offender. It solely depends on the performance and conduct of the dependant in relation to the action. On a practical case, it has been applied extensively by drug courts, which have in several cases deferred the prosecution, on condition that, the offender embraces a drug treatment programs. This has amounted to more than 50% of the cases. In relation to diversion, some of the rationales of the practice include: the process is less expensive, it alleviates the feeling of being arrested, which in many instances encourage criminal behavior, offers a second chance, and a refined chance in life among other things.
From the above review, recidivism can now be integrated to measure probation effectiveness. Personally, I would prefer my outcome measures to be judged by recidivism. This would be largely influenced by the fact that, the assessment is immediate and evidenced in any society. Recidivism is a practice or an act that entails an individual repeating a wrongful act, one in which he/she had been warned, helped to extinguish or even had seen the bad consequences of the habit or practice. Moreover, still referring to the above discussion, and the data reported, the need of the probation officers cannot be overlooked. Irrespective of the obstacles they come across, the execution of both probation and diversion are far reaching.
As a matter of fact, crisis will be conveyed on the acts, as they are seen as less effective in terms of gravity of punishment; however the outcome and effect for the foreseeable future cannot be taken for granted. The results of the practices are felt both by the immediate family and the entire community, a condition that is self sufficient. Also, the society tends to see the changes that one can go through, and in the process some are influenced to follow the right course of life.
Looking on a more critical approach, the acts and role of a probation officer entail supervising offenders who were conditionally released. Definitely, a large percentage of the culprit’s sociological and psychological factors are still in question. From a short interaction I had with an officer from the federal probation agencies, it emerged that in many instances, the work-log of taking care of the victims is left entirely on them following conviction. In many instances, it comes out tricky as some of the offenders are in a psychological condition that is extremely complex. On that case, it becomes hard to administer the probation process effectively, as it is met with many hurdles, a case which results in a big percentage of recidivism. All in all, in a score out of ten, I would give the processes of probation diversion a rating of seven, considering the end results to the culprits and the society at large.

References
Cole, G., Smith, C., & DeJong, C. (2013). Criminal Justice in America. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Schmallenger, F., & Smykla, J. O. (2011). Corrections in the 21st century sixth edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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