Alternative Sentencing & Strategies for Successful Prisoner Reentry

Abstract

Nationally, more than two million people are serving time in prison on any given day. Missouri ranks eighth in the nation in terms of imprisonment and has experienced substantial growth in incarceration over the past two decades. The reality of mass incarceration and the accruing cost of corrections have led many states to consider implementing alternatives to traditional incarceration and parole. These alternatives between parole and confinement are often called intermediate sanctions and are intended to provide correctional options that save money and prison beds without introducing risk to public safety. The State of Missouri has made strides in developing sanctions that can serve as an alternative to prison. Section 217.777.1, RSMo, charges the Missouri Department of Corrections with the administration of a community corrections program to encourage the establishment of local sentencing initiatives and correctional alternatives. Among the goals of this legislation and alternative sanctions in general, are to: Promote the accountability of offenders to crime victims, local communities and the state; Increase the use of restitution; Reduce the costs of treatment, punishment and supervision of off enders; and Improve public confidence in the criminal justice system by involving the public in the development of community-based sentencing options for eligible offenders.