Probation is a government program that has grown exponentially, but new strategies are demonstrating the system can accomplish more by supervising fewer people with a more tailored and incentive-oriented approach.
Key points:
- Probation can be an alternative or gateway to incarceration.
- Probation should be right-sized to serve only those individuals who require supervision for only the limited time period that their assessment and conduct indicate a continued need for supervision.
- Incentives should drive probation policy, both for agencies and those they supervise.