tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31867318.post7292938132594651360..comments2024-03-27T04:18:35.950-06:00Comments on Corrections Sentencing: Plan BMichael Connellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03292758786206928065noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31867318.post-35720095904879655332007-05-10T12:20:00.000-06:002007-05-10T12:20:00.000-06:00Of course, in some cases prisons do stop crime bes...Of course, in some cases prisons do stop crime best. In others, stopping crime is not the prime objective. The bottom line is that sentencing is a complex, time-consuming task that is dependent upon consciously processing huge amounts of information. Yet, cognitive scientists tell us that people can only process three to seven or eight pieces of information at the same time. Faced with computation overload and limited time, decision-makers rely on heuristics to simplify their task. Default, oversimplified, biased sentences are often the result.<BR/><BR/>A sentence is the deprivation module in an individualized correction plan. Each sentence has several components such as warning enforcement, accountability, risk control, and risk reduction.<BR/><BR/>I believe we should try to teach people how to think about threatening situations for sentencing purposes. This involves breaking the task into bit-sized pieces. First the problem has to be deconstructed, thereby identifying all of the provocations to which the State must respond, namely: (1) the subject’s conduct was a crime, (2) the subject’s crime was an offense, and (3) the subject is a criminal offender. Second, the State’s responses to each of these provocations should be detailed, based upon guidelines. Finally, the sentence components derived from this process must be assembled, nesting the less restrictive components inside of the more restrictive components. In this way, all of the State’s sentencing objectives can be met.<BR/><BR/>A system like this is not ideological. It has a place for all of the State’s sentencing objectives, plus their related strategies and tactics. Hopefully reason will trump bias and oversimplification, when they are combined within a coherent sentencing framework.Tom McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08607654158949236940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31867318.post-25520735814509622802007-05-09T18:54:00.000-06:002007-05-09T18:54:00.000-06:00I think that a lot more people than the Bar Associ...I think that a lot more people than the Bar Association think that incarceration is overused. The legislators know that the "soft-on-crime" card an an effective election tactic and both parties use it. If we can't come up with an effective response to that tactic I am not optimistic. <BR/><BR/>We did have one race where the use of that tactic by the GOP Central Committee backfired their candidate became an independent (he and his opponent had agreed to avoid personal attacks) and he thought the Central Committee had stabbed him in the back.JSNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03375832068193947450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31867318.post-23812657178591570692007-05-09T18:36:00.000-06:002007-05-09T18:36:00.000-06:00Thank you guys for the feedback. What kind of nar...Thank you guys for the feedback. What kind of narrative do you think it will take for these sorts of approaches to overcome the dominant default called "prisons stop crime best"?Michael Connellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292758786206928065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31867318.post-10575630016183227592007-05-08T18:58:00.000-06:002007-05-08T18:58:00.000-06:00What I think are correctional objectives are; 1) r...What I think are correctional objectives are; <BR/>1) retribution which is easy <BR/>2) rehabilitation which works part of the time and <BR/>3) restoration which works part of the time and is seldom used.<BR/><BR/>In my view the proof that the objectives have been achieved is if the subject abstains from criminal activity which means we have about a 30% to 40% success rate for the more serious offenders who are sent to prison and a much higher rate for the offenders who successfully complete probation.<BR/><BR/>What I would like to see is a more rigorously supervised probation for drug and property crimes with alcohol and drug abuse treatment and aftercare (which most experts think is essential) for offenders who would otherwise be given short prison sentences (less than five years).JSNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03375832068193947450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31867318.post-53148515321477834212007-05-08T15:13:00.000-06:002007-05-08T15:13:00.000-06:00I believe we should be realistic about human natur...I believe we should be realistic about human nature. To the extent that sentencing decision-makers have any discretion, all of the State’s correctional objectives will be reflected in their decisions, at least to some extent. So what we should do is deconstruct the system, putting each of these objectives on the table in each case. Structure the system so that decision-makers must deal with them separately when setting priorities, explicitly taking the costs and benefits of each into consideration. Complete transparency is the best antidote for bad choices and sentencing double-talk.Tom McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08607654158949236940noreply@blogger.com