Isnt probation too easy and just a slap on the wrist for the criminals?
We have supervised over 1000 adult probationers in community corrections since we began operations in 1982 and very rarely has any probationer ever said their probation was easy. In fact, the opposite is true as we are often told that what we expect from our probationers is too hard. As an example of what we expect, under our tightest level of supervision, in a period of twelve months, the average probationer will have had over 75 face-to-face contacts with their intensive supervision officer, with about 20 of the contacts taking place in their homes or at their jobs. The average probationer will also be drug tested about 25 times in the twelve months. Pay stubs will have been checked, on a weekly basis to verify employment. And if the probationer has been court-ordered to participate in any special programs (AA, counseling, in patient treatment, community service work and so forth), the probationers compliance with the special orders will have been regularly verified by the intensive
