Week 4 Discussion

Discussion 1: Corrections Policy

Corrections policies can have a potentially significant impact on
nearly every facet of the criminal justice system as well as on society
as a whole. Well-intentioned policies often result in unintended
negative consequences while failing to achieve desired outcomes. For
instance, research indicates that current probation and parole systems
are ineffective and that parole violators contribute significantly to
prison overcrowding. Criminal justice professionals can help ensure
more positive outcomes by carefully weighing the strengths and
limitations of both new and existing policies and determining their
relevance to existing realities of the criminal justice system.

For this Discussion, review the Learning Resources, identify a
policy related to sentencing or corrections, and evaluate the policy.
This policy can be relevant to community corrections rather than
institutional corrections, and it can encompass the disparate impacts
of corrections practices on various populations. For example, the
locations of some correctional institutions—particularly those housing
women and juveniles—are often quite far from where offenders’ family
members live. Your evaluation of a corrections policy can encompass any
aspect of corrections that is impacted by sentencing practices or
corrections policies.

Postby Day 3a description of the
policy you selected. Explain the strengths and limitations of the
policy. Then, explain the changes you might make to the existing policy
and why.