New Jersey's Intensive Supervision Program: What Is It Like? How Is It Working?

• NCJ Number: 111581
• Journal: Federal Probation Volume: 50 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1986) Pages: 25-31
• Date Published: 1986
• Author(s): F S Pearson; D B Bibel
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 83-IJ-CX-K027
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description

Annotation

New Jersey's intensive supervision program (ISP), begun in 1983, has served 600 offenders in the past 2.5 years, with an active caseload of about 350.

Abstract

To date, 111 participants have been successfully terminated and 124 have been reincarcerated. The program includes frequent face-to-face and telephone contacts between the client and the officer, curfews, mandatory employment, community service, and treatment. Most revocations have been for technical violations rather than for new crimes. Preliminary analysis of data for ISP participants indicate that about 70 percent remain law-abiding during the 18-month program and are released from any form of supervision. About 20 percent are expelled from the program, primarily for substance use or curfew violations. Approximately 10 percent go on to commit a new crime, but these tend to be misdemeanors rather than felonies. Overall, the program appears to be effective in releasing offenders from prison without seriously increasing the risk of recidivist crime. In addition, even in the case of revocations, participants have been employed, paying fines, providing community service, and cooperating in treatment. 3 tables, 2 figures, and 2 references.