Day Reporting Center Research Paper

The day reporting center programs are a form of probation. The concept of probation was created by John Augustus, who was a Boston shoemaker, and was credited with being the “Father of Probation”. Augustus noticed through what took place in courts that minor offenders and alcohol abusers were sent to jail because of the inability to pay off fines. Being offended and disturbed by this action, Augustus made an agreement with authorities to pay off the offenders fines and give them friendly supervision. Between 1841 and 1858, Augustus bailed out about 2,000 men, women, and children. Through friendliness, confidence, and helping the offender obtain jobs while aiding their family, he was able to report on progress toward reformation and keep the
Standard conditions include attending group or individual therapy, random drug testing, avoiding people or places that associate with criminal activity, the offender not committing another crime at any level, and gaining employment or education. Other standard probation conditions restore the victim and the community including payment of restitution, payment of fees and fines, and community service. Also, terms may include compliance with all court orders, regular reporting to a probation officer, home searches, weapon prohibition, unable to leave the county or state, and drug and alcohol restriction. Day reporting centers are used for those on probation. Day reporting centers serve under the special conditions of
Cost is cheaper because instead of inmates living at a jail, they live in their own home. Day reporting centers operate cheaply enough that they can provide a GED course, lifestyle skills, addiction counseling, and other programs that have been scaled back inside prison walls (Craddock, 2000). Recidivism costs that were calculated averaged out to be around $3,820 for a probationer in a 12 month period, whereas the recidivism cost for an offender in a day reporting center estimated to $1,927. “This difference yields a one-year net benefit to the system at $1,893 for every DRC completion. The annual per capita recidivism cost for day reporting center non completers was $2,815”. (Craddock, 2000) considering the fact that probationers that violated probation are sent to day reporting centers, probation officers indicated that without the existence of a DRC program, almost all individual offenders would be revoked or imposed of an incarceration