Intermediate sanctions

Intermediate sanctions are a community-based sentence that provides more freedom than prison but less freedom than traditional probation and parole. There are both residential programs—those in which offenders must live away from home and inside a facility within the community while completing their sentence—and non-residential programs—those in which the offender resides at home while participating in the program under a strict set of rules and curfews.

This assignment will require you to use your knowledge of these various sanctions to identify the best intermediate sanction or a combination of sanctions to both meet the needs of the offender and protect the public in given scenarios. It consists of two parts.

Write a 3-4 page paper addressing the following:

Part A: Identify and describe 6 types of Intermediate Sanctions available in our correctional system.

Be sure to include the following in your discussion for EACH sanction:

The purpose of the sanction
What type of offender the sanction is most appropriate for
Current research and data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the sanction as a correctional practice
Part B: Offender Case Studies: Determining the Appropriate Correctional Sentence

Download and review four case study scenarios.

Step into the role of judge and consider the circumstances provided in the scenarios in order to determine which intermediate sanction or combination of sanctions is appropriate.

For each scenario be sure to:
Case Scenarios
CASE A
John is a 29-year-old man who has been twice convicted of fraud by forging checks. His first conviction
resulted in a sentence of five years on probation with an order to make restitution in the amount of $2,720.
John made three payments of $230 each before absconding supervision. He turned up again after six months
and was reinstated on probation by the court after he promised to faithfully fulfill the terms of his supervision
and to complete his restitution obligation. During his supervised release, he was in violation of probation
conditions regularly and never completed his restitution payments. The current case involves John passing a
forged check at a local grocery store in the amount of $624. Due to his previous failure and non-completion of
probation, the court is concerned that he is not capable of following court-ordered probation conditions, yet it
does not want to commit him to state prison or to a jail term because his offense is nonviolent. John has a wife
and two small children and is their only source of support. He has a high school diploma, he is not mentall
y ill or disabled, and he is currently employed as a house painter. What type of sentence is appropriate in
this scenario?
CASE B
Ricardo is a 23-year-old identified gang member of the Mexican Mafia, a Latino gang with roots in California.
He has a history of criminal offenses including shoplifting, one motor vehicle theft, and three DUIs. Ricardo is
not assaultive, but the group in which he is a member has been known to participate in assault and other
violent acts. His file does not indicate his rank in the gang, but it shows he has been a confirmed member for
at least six years. His current offense is larceny involving theft from his former employer, a local carpet-laying
company. The PSI concludes that Ricardo needs more structure than can be gained from probation or
intensive supervision, but it does not recommend a prison sentence due to his current nonviolent offense.
The PSI reports that Ricardo needs to learn discipline, good work habits, respect for the rights of others, and
there is concern about his attitude toward authority. What type of sentence is appropriate in this scenario?
CASE C
Sarah is a 22-year-old woman who has been arrested and convicted of a number of crimes including
shoplifting, prostitution and possession of a controlled substance. She was put on probation but was again
arrested for prostitution and possession of a controlled substance. Her file indicates a history of childhood
physical and sexual abuse and years of drug dependency. She also suffers from a number of mental health
issues resulting from the abuse, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and low self-esteem. The
PSI suggests that Sarah does not pose a threat to the community and therefore does not require a prison
sentence, yet given her repeated offending would likely benefit from a more structured setting rather than
continuing to live independently. Given her history of abuse and drug dependency she would also benefit from
therapeutic counseling and treatment to address her mental health issues and drug addiction. What type
of sentence is appropriate in this scenario?
CASE D
Mark is an inmate at a state prison, completing his five year sentence for a sex offense against a child. This is
his second similar offense. He was convicted of his first offense for a sex offense against a child when he was

1. His second offense was 10 year later for which he is currently incarcerated. He will be released next
   month, but will be subject to continued supervision upon release for the remainder of his sentence. What type
   of sentence is appropriate in this scenario?
2. Assess the risks to the community and the needs of the offender
3. Determine which intermediate sanction or combination of sanctions is appropriate for each of the given offenders
4. Justify your position. Be sure to support it with research based evidence of the effectiveness of the chosen sanction(s).