Improving Community Corrections

In January 2015, Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan signed two bills into law creating a special commission that would be responsible for “exploring alternatives to incarceration, promoting rehabilitation programs, and making recommendations to the Legislature. The bills aim to improve local alternatives to prison for eligible non-violent offenders and create court consistency across the state” (Michigan House Bills 5828 and 5829, 2015).

You have been appointed to a similar commission in your state. Prepare a report in Microsoft Word that addresses the tasks given below. As you can see from the governor’s press release, tasks such as the following are actual real-world tasks that criminal justice professionals may encounter:

• Briefly describe one alternative to incarceration available in your state.
• Identify the goal that this program seeks to accomplish (e.g., rehabilitation, deterrence, restoration, etc.).
• Evaluate the effectiveness of pretrial diversion in preventing recidivism.
• Evaluate the use of probation in your state. Describe how probation officers may utilize community-based resources for the purpose of rehabilitating probationers.

In a report of this type, data should accompany any recommendations to support the points being made. For this assignment, you might find the following resource helpful, along with your textbook, classroom material, and other appropriate outside sources:

A National Survey of Criminal Justice Diversion Programs and Initiatives

Source:

Michigan Office of the Governor. (2015, January 12). Gov. Rick Snyder signs bills to boost
           public safety through DNA collection at time of arrest. Retrieved from http://www.
           michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577_57657-345100–,00.html

Cite your sources using APA guidelines.