The Growing Concerns with The Court System - Research Paper Example

? Correction Policy Paper Adult Corrections Reform: Lower Crime, Lower Costs Executive summary The Texas has taken radical approaches to policy in adult corrections that are stringent, but smart too. The state has reduced the crime rate in the state as well as its spending on the correction facilities through expansion of detention alternatives especially in evidence-based policy practices in drug related cases and probation. Within the past few years, Houston and the whole of Texas state has seen the rising sensitization and practice of tough but smart crime intervention programs (Adult Probation, 2011). The state in particular, has witnessed a significant reduction of crime as well as detention rates due to this adult correction reform policy. The policy sought to effect the probation on the nonviolent crime offenders by holding them accountable and thus provision of effective supervision. The policy has indeed seen a sharp decline in the crime rate in the whole state and more so in Houston town that was notorious for worst crime rate among the state tourneys. The policy involved the appropriation of a sizable budget into prison detention alternatives. This included provision of drug courts, intermediate sanctions, treatment of mental cases rather than imprison them and smarter incarceration (Roberts, 2009). This correction policy was effected back then in 2007 that had the state use intensive resource directly paid by the citizens of the state. The upgrading package came due to the growing concerns with the court system as well as the civil society for need to have adequate facilities in the correction system. The budget was then approved by the legislature, which they projected would be sufficient for the coming years The need for other alternatives in the correctional system that bore the adult correction reform, was as a response to the many alternatives and waiting lists in the corrections system. The statements by the judges and data from correction officials were vital to the implementation of this policy. The effects of the policy are without doubt beneficial to Houston residents and the state of Texas at large. Identification and evaluation The correction policy identified is the “Adult Corrections Reform: Lower Crime, Lower Costs ”. The policy was established with the purpose of giving smarter alternatives to the incarnation that would lower the costs used but still hold the offenders accountable for their crimes. The policy has over the last years resulted in the expansion of alternative capacity in the corrections system in our town. The nonviolent offenders have in the process been put on probation with strict and effective supervision by the correction officials. This is contrary to the previous policies that required them to be detained in the prisons thus congesting it. At the same time this had led to increases in prison capacity that meant more costs. The policy has seen a significant reduction of crime rate in Texas and in particular our Houston town. Texas had been ranked among the states with a higher crime rate in the late 70s coming 4th in the survey done by the FBI. The policy has helped the state to record the lowest ever crime rate at 12.8% decrease between 2005 1nd 2010. The incarceration rate among the adults in the same period of time has been reduced by a significant 9%. This has marked a great milestone in the correction policy implementation. The strategies have a low crime rate enabled the state to reduce crime significantly and hence avoid building of new more prison facilities. The expense was to involve the addition of more than 17,000 new beds in the prisons across the state. The policy used $55million in probation departments aimed at reducing the revocation rate among adult offenders and increasing supervision on the sanctions applied. The policy implementation led to a decrease in the rate of revocation in the prison departments thus saving the taxpayers a massive $119 million (Legislative Budget Board, 2011). Earlier on, parole and revocations in the town had accounted for nearly half the intake of prisons in the year 2005. The confidence that the correction policy had brought saw a decline of 6% in the sentencing of the adult to prison in the year 2009 (Marc, 2010). Generally, the new policy has seen a decline in prison spending thus relieving the taxpayers in the state, a considerable amount of money. Scientific literature The sentencing of the adult first time offenders has increased minimally since 2005. The sentencing practice has become critical and considerate on probation and incarceration. Studies show that one in every two adult offenders sent to prison by 2000 this has reduced to one in every five offenders by 2009 (Johnson & Golub, 2010). The public confidence has grown in the sentencing which has seen a considerable reduction in appeals that meant more spending. Greater attention is now being given to the performance , management and strict but smart supervision in the prison. Many researchers have pointed out that supervision of the correctional system by the correction officials has seen a dramatically improved decency in prison and more offenders achieving skills in varied fields (Eli , 1999). This has led to a reduced number of revocation rate in the state as well as other US states that practice the correction policy. The system has of late emphasized on the need to rehabilitate the offenders and managing them well to avoid re-offending hence reducing costs of additional facilities for the high rate of crime and sentencing. The alternative in detention has been applied in many first time offenders of later than previously done reducing considerable costs and ensuring community inclusion and acceptance of the offenders. Indeed, the introduction of strict supervision in parole and alternative detention usage has provided an opportunity for cost reduction as well as improved crime reduction. Theoretical foundation of the correctional policy The reasoning behind this correction policy was that crime and costs can be reduced through increased correctional officials, supervision and use of alternative detention practices (William, 1998). The policy saw the inclusion of intermediate sanctions and drug courts to eliminate parole re-entry. This was a success since more supervision ensured that the inmates followed the rehabilitation strictly thus reforming in the process. The offenders were held accountable at the same time learning skills that helped them once they are released into the community. More supervision also meant that the officers were alert and everywhere hence reducing crime rate in the town. The reasoning of strict but smarter supervision is laid on the foundations of the broken window theory (Bernard & Jens , 2008 ). In this theory, it is believed that when one or two windows are left broken without the owner repairing, the whole building will end up losing all the windows through vandalism or otherwise. This implies that when the crime persists in one area and it does not deal with it spreads to the whole town. This in turn increases the costs of detention as well as rate of crime increase. A successful strategy used by this policy for preventing crime and cutting costs was to have more correction officials and increase supervision, and the result is that crime is reduced and the parole is more likely to be out of prison doing their probation than remain in prison to incur more expenses. More staff meant that the waiting lists on the parole is reduced and hence less spending by the prison department resulting to relieve on the taxpayers. Furthermore, increased and strict supervision has seen a significant confidence in probation by the juries and judges. This has in turn reduced the sentencing by the courts by a surprising 6% by the year 2011. More nonviolent first time offenders were sent to probation thus reversing the previous annual 6 percent monetary commitment to the prison departments in the state (Wesley, 1990). Although the work done by the correctional officers is essential in crime prevention, but it is not enough. The community and all the stakeholders need to be involved to prevent rime as well as cut costs in the process. People in the community need to be active and prevent crime in the areas they live hence saving on the costs the parolees need community support too in their rehabilitation. The policy has seen the transitioning of exemplary state inmates into probation unlike previous regimes. Scientific policy evaluation Scientific policy evaluation refers to a systematic process of assessing design, implementation and effects of public policies (Bernard, 2001). The process makes use of social science, research methods inclusive of both quantitative and qualitative techniques to examine the implications of policies like this. Other scholars such as James Anderson, describe policy evaluation as a sequential process that undergoes through a series of steps making evaluation a final step but often changes are implemented in the process. The process enables all stakeholders in the evaluation process, including local authority, correctional officers, judicial staff and others, to measure the extend to which the process has achieved its objectives and goals, evaluates the effects and recommends any changes needed in the process. Evaluation of policy is a involve two methods, summative and formative evaluation. Formative evaluation involves the examination of the operations in the policy with the intention of improving the process of policy implementation. Summative on the other hand, inquires whether the program has achieved its set goals e.g in the correctional policy, summative evaluation will analyze the reduction in crime in the state as well as reduced spending in the prison department. Policy evaluation has its strengths and weakness. It is rarely as simple as some people suggest, but rather a long, rigorous process. Factors that impede the methods include, isolating policy effects and measuring the performance, the fact that the evaluation methods are objective in their manner while policy process occurs in the political environment thus complicating the evaluation process . Evaluation methods often asses the short term effects of the policy implementation not putting the long term effects into considerations. The strengths of the evaluation methods include, theoretical goals and real goals are analyzed, policy objectives are checked against outcomes as well as the positive effects of the program. Conclusion Conclusively, the correction policy on the adult correction reform is a success. Most researches done on this show evidence of progress in the program (Bernard, (2001). The state has seen a reduction in the crime rate for the years following the implementation of the policy. Supervision was increased in all the state especially prison department. This in turn meant that rehabilitation program was effective to a point of earning the confidence of the courts and jury. It resulted in the courts opting to put first timers on parole rather than imprisonment. The policy has seen improved use of alternative forms of detention resulting in less spending by the prison department. The goals of the policy were to reduce crime and cut costs and much has been achieved through collaboration among the stakeholders. Revocation rates have been reduced considerably to a point of saving the taxpayers of their money. Furthermore, the initial annual growth of new crimes was reversed to the same reduction by the year2011. The expanded facilities as well as increased supervision have seen reduced caseloads in the courtrooms thus making probation and reduced revocation possible. The policy saved the state, Houston town included, a construction of more than 17,000 prison capacity to accommodate new crimes. This was done through parole and probation smarter supervision. Graduated sanctions also played a key role in the crime reduction in the town. The policy too required that judges order release of offenders who in the course of their serving time show exemplary conduct. This was contrary to earlier law which didn’t give opportunity to such cases. This acted to reduce the number of inmates in prisons in the town thus reducing spending and ultimately achieving the coating on cost objective. While Texas, need more crime reduction, the effect of this correction policy in crime decline as well as cost cutting require applause. Recommendations The policy needs regular evaluation on to involve community participation more. In accordance to the broken window theory, I think the use of community policing will considerably reduce crime and ensure that members of public assist the parolees in their rehabilitation program and accept them in society. More officers need to be deployed in Houston and the whole of Texas, as this minimizes the crime rate. I think the policy should be evaluated to insist on giving incentives to the inmates who show exemplary conducts. This, I think will set a platform for the other inmates to follow suit. Finally, I suggest that an evaluation be done in all the stages of policy implementation and changes effected to ensure objectivity. References Adult Probation” (2011-12). Texas Legislators’ Guide to the Issues. Texas: Texas Public Policy Foundation. Bernard, E. , (2001)."Illusion of Order: The False Promise of Broken Windows Policing". New York: Harvard. Bernard, L. & Jens L. , (2008). "Broken Windows: New Evidence from New York City and a Five-City Social Experiment. New York: University Press. Bernard E. , (2001). "Illusion of Order: The False Promise of Broken Windows Policing". New York: Harvard University Press. Blumstein, J. and Wallman, E. , (2006). The Crime Drop in America. London: Cambridge University Press. Marc, L., (2010) .“Texas Criminal Justice Reform: Lower Crime, Lower Cost”. Texas: Texas Public Policy Foundation. Eli, B. , (1999). NYPD Battles Crime: Innovative Strategies in Policing. New York: Northeastern University Press. FBI report, (2011). Texas Crime Rates. Texas: Government Publication. Johnson, D. & Golub, J. , (2010). "The international implications of quality?of?life policing as practiced in New York City". Police Practice and Research 11 (1): 17–29. Legislative Budget Board, (2011). “Statewide Criminal Justice Recidivism and Revocation Rates”. Washington DC: Government Report. Roberts, D. (2009). "Foreword: Race, Vagueness, and the Social Meaning of Order-Maintenance Policing". The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 3 89: 775–836. William J. , (1998). Turnaround: How America's Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic.New York: Random House. Wesley G. , (1990). Disorder and Decline: Crime and the Spiral of Decay in American Neighborhoods. California: University of California Press. Read More