NCJ Number
62771
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
FACTORS LIKELY TO INFLUENCE THE FORM, CONTENT, AND ACCEPTANCE OF A POLICY INTRODUCING ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT INTO THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA, ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE DISCUSSION DEALS WITH THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE PROPONENTS OF ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT WILL OVERCOME THE ENTRENCHED SENTIMENTS AND INTERESTS OF STRATEGIC GROUPS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHOSE VALUES DIFFER FROM THEIR OWN. THE PROBABLE STANCES OF POLICE, JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES, PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS, AND CORRECTIONAL STAFF ARE CONSIDERED, AS ARE THE READINESS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ACCEPT CHANGE AND THE ABILITY OF LAWMAKERS TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE SOCIOPOLITICAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN ESTABLISHING ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT. THE NEED TO MAKE SUCH ALTERNATIVES TRUE ALTERNATIVES, NOT MERELY ADDITIONS TO THE REPERTOIRE OF SENTENCES, IS BROUGHT OUT. THE SUCCESS OF AN ALTERNATIVES POLICY IS SAID TO REST ON THE FOLLOWING: (1) THE GOVERNMENT'S CLEAR STATEMENT OF A CORRECTIONAL PHILOSOPHY, LEADING TO FORMULATION OF PROGRAMS WHICH ARE TRUE ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT; (2) SPECIFICATION BY THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE ROLE OF PRISONS AND THE CLASSES OF OFFENDERS FOR WHOM IMPRISONMENT IS AN APPROPRIATE SANCTION; (3) A DECISION TO CLOSE PRISONS AS INMATE POPULATIONS DECREASE; (4) RETRAINING AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRISON OFFICERS DISPLACED WHEN PRISONS ARE CLOSED; (5) INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INTEREST GROUPS IN PLANNING; (6) SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR CORRECTIONAL STAFF WHO WILL PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS; (7) CLEAR PROVISIONS FOR SOCIAL REPARATION AND VICTIM COMPENSATION FOR ALL OFFENSES; AND (8) READINESS AND RESOURCES TO EXPERIMENT WITH ALTERNATIVES AND TO EVALUATE THE EXPERIMENTS. (LKM)