The Two Community Supervision Programs

Probation refers to the release of an adult offender from detention and placed on supervision through an agency that focuses on issues concerning the monitoring and supervision of the law offenders. Parole refers to a temporary or permanent release of criminal offenders before completion of their sentence based on a promise of a change of behavior. The main similarity between probation and parole is that they are both alternatives to incarceration. Secondly, both probation and parole involve convicted criminals, who have proven guilty under different charges. Although probation and parole have major commonalities, some differences make each aspect unique. The main difference is based on the fact that probation is based on a judicial procedure, meaning that the judges are mandated to make decisions regarding the final verdict of a criminal offender (Schaefer & Williamson, 2018). On the other hand, parole is based on an administrative procedure that gives the parole officers the mandate to make decisions regarding a criminal offender. Also, probation and parole differ from the nature and seriousness of the crime committed by the offenders. In most cases, probation includes offenders who committed less serious felonies, while those in parole include offenders who committed serious violent crimes. In probation, offenders are placed under supervision and required to adhere to different conditions that are defined by the court. The offender's supervision, in this case, is undertaken by a probation officer who is entitled to observe the offender's behavior. During the probation period, the offenders face a significant threat of being incarcerated in the situation that they are found guilty of breaking rules that are defined by the court. The offenders may be fitted with an electronic tag that purposes to monitor the supervision process effectively. Additionally, offenders on probation are required to engage in community service, which is an aspect that enables them to pay for the defined probation fines. In parole, a criminal offender is released from jail to serve the remaining part of the sentence in society. The offenders in parole are placed under community supervision and risk going back to prison in case they do not fulfill their promise of behavior change. In parole, the types of offenders may include different criminal acts such as homicide, robbery, and sexual assault. When focusing on the rehabilitation of the offenders, it is essential to note that both probation and parole may have a significant role in promoting effectiveness in ensuring that the criminal offenders learn different aspects regarding the need to adhere to the law. I believe that the correctional facilities should be at the forefront in ensuring that the criminal offenders are rehabilitated effectively to ensure that they integrate back to society. I believe that proper rehabilitation measures may have a significant role in ensuring that a criminal offender does not fall back into committing a crime.

The two community supervision programs may have different degrees of effectiveness, which is an aspect that is based on the approach undertaken by each to help in rehabilitating the offenders. I believe that probation is a more effective program that helps to rehabilitate offenders and plays a significant role in integrating them back to the community effectively. Firstly, it is important to note that offenders in probation spend less amount of time in prison, thus have a mindset of a second chance. Secondly, most of the offenders under probation are guilty of less serious crimes, which means it is easy for the community to accept the offenders back into society efficiently unlike in a situation where the crimes committed involve serious criminal activities.

Reference 

Schaefer, L., & Williamson, H. (2018). Probation and parole officers’ compliance with case management tools: Professional discretion and override.  International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology ,  62 (14), 4565-4584.