Pros And Cons Of Incarceration

As a nation, the United States has more people in prison than any other country and the burden this places on the resources of our society is immense. Evidence shows incarceration is not always an effective way to achieve a safe society (Tonry) and in an attempt to reduce the sheer number of prisoners, other methods of rehabilitation and punishment are sometimes used. The most common methods used are some form of probation or parole. While both probation and parole are alternatives to incarceration, there are both advantages and disadvantages to their uses and effectiveness.
Probation is best explained by Frank Schmalleger as “a sentence served while under supervision in the community” (300). For some offenders, it may be a good alternative to spending time in prison. Probation is a court ordered agreement where the offender is placed under the supervision of an agency instead of in jail and several types of probation may be used in an attempt to create a successful sentencing strategy. Depending on the
If society believes that the punishment should fit the crime, then probation and parole are seen as too soft on crime. Many believe that unless swift and immediate punishment is delivered, offenders will repeat their crime because the consequences are practically non-existent. In fact, over half of released offenders are reincarcerated within three years of their release (Schmalleger, 318), which supports this belief.
Parole and probation may also offer an increased risk to society. Newly released inmates return to the community with very little support to help them change the very behavior which got them in trouble. Most have no jobs, little skill, many have substance abuse issues or a form of mental illness (Schmalleger 319), making a successful transition into society a daunting task. Many return to the very activities which caused their incarceration in the first