Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Halfway Back: An Alternative To Revocation For Technical Parole Violators, Michael White, Jeff Mellow, Kristin Englander, Marc Ruffinengo

Marc A. Ruffinengo

Over the past three decades, concomitant increases in prison population and the use of parole, coupled with a more punitive parole philosophy and fiscal crises at every level of government, have prompted a renewed interest in intermediate sanctions— especially for technical parole violators. A number of jurisdictions have developed intermediate sanctions that are both custodial and therapeutic—but do not involve a return to prison—for technical violators. Despite their growing popularity, little research has examined these technical violator programs, and as a result, basic questions regarding their impact remain unanswered. This article examines a therapeutic technical violator program in the state …