Define the term intermediate sanctions and describe its purpose. In addition, identify and define at least eight different intermediate sanctions.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

There is no single definition of intermediate sanctions, nor is there any ironclad agreement about what ought to be included within the definition. A commonly accepted definition is a range of sentencing options that fall between incarceration and probation, being designed to allow for the crafting of sentences that respond to the offender, the offense, or both, with the intended outcome of the case being a primary consideration. These sanctions allow for considerations of the various needs, challenges, and issues associated with the offender and the type of offending that he or she is committing. This permits the calibration of sentences so that specific details are a better fit with the types of offense considered as well as the individual variables associated with the offender. Such flexibility is what that provides the field of community corrections with its greatest source of leverage among the offender population, in terms of treatment and supervision. Types of intermediate sanctions are fines, community service, intensive supervision probation, electronic monitoring, global positioning systems, home detention, day reporting centers, and shock incarceration/split sentencing. Fines can be defined as a monetary penalty imposed by a judge or magistrate as a punishment for having committed an offense. Community service is the work that one is required to perform for repaying his or her debt to society after being found at fault for committing a criminal or deviant offense. Intensive supervision probation is the extensive supervision of offenders who are deemed the greatest risk to society or are in need of the greatest among of governmental support. Electronic monitoring includes the use of any mechanism that is worn by the offender for the means of tracking his or her whereabouts through electronic detection. Global positioning systems allow supervision officers to detect when an offender violates one of his or her restrictions on movement due to a condition of his or her supervision. Home detention is the mandated action that forces an offender to stay within the confines of his or her home or on the property until a time specified by the sentencing judge. Day reporting centers are treatment facilities to which offenders are required to report, usually on a daily basis. Shock incarceration/split sentencing is a short-term incarceration followed by a specified term of community supervision in hopes of deterring the offender from recidivating.