Alternative Sentencing System

There are many ways in which a judge and/or jury may decide to punish someone who has broken the law. However, to determine which punishment should be delivered to a certain criminal depends on a number of things. Judges have to consider the seriousness of the crime that was committed, if the offender is more or less likely to commit a crime again before they decide the sentencing of the criminal, and if the criminal is a direct threat to society. The punishment may be as simple as a fine or it could mean their life. One example of a punishment that is commonly used by judges is the issuing of fines. Fines are one of the oldest forms of punishment. A judge may issue a fine as a punishment to a crime if the crime is a minor violation of the …show more content…
Some judges give an alternative sentence in which an offender is sentenced to shock incarceration to “shock” them into the harsh reality of what prison could be like, thus persuading the wrongdoer to change his or her ways so that they do not have to face that reality in the future. To be applicable for this alternative sentencing, the offender must not have a previous criminal record, must not have a jail/prison sentence of more than 30 months, and must not be considered dangerous to themselves or the public. A judge usually will issue this sentence if the short time the offender would spend in prison could be better expended to actually prevent the wrongdoer from participating in other wrongs. Most facilities and judges gear shock incarceration toward juvenile delinquents and other youthful convicts, but recently many facilities have begun branching out to the first-time adult convicts as well. Shock incarceration is an alternative sentence to imprisonment where a lawbreaker spends 90 days in a boot camp atmosphere. In this boot camp atmosphere, convicts may participate in drug/alcohol abuse treatment programs, academic/employment programs, and other therapeutic treatments and programs. Another punishment that may be administered by a judge to low-risk, juveniles as well as adults is a home confinement sentencing. This sentencing, commonly called house arrest, is the requirement of the convict to spend their …show more content…
Probation is the most common form of punishment used in the United States. Probation focuses on rehabilitating the offender while still protecting the community. A judge may sentence a criminal to probation if the judge believes that a particular offender can be rehabilitated while still remaining in the community. Like home confinement, there are many requirements and standards that must abided by in order for the convict to remain in the community rather than in incarceration. When on probation, the offender will agree to the standard, punitive, and treatment conditions as set by the judge. The standard conditions of probations require all offenders to regularly see their assigned probation officer, maintain employed, report a change of address promptly, and to not leave the required jurisdiction of stay without the permission of their probation officer. The punitive conditions set for probation is dependent of the crime that was committed. Examples of this condition are fines, restitution, community service, home confinement, and regular drug testing. The treatment conditions of probation are where the rehabilitation for the offender comes in. The treatment conditions can include counseling for mental issues or disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, and/or any other “fixable” condition that might contribute to the criminal behavior that the offender participates in. Certain offenders may be denied probation if they are