Which intermediate sanction resembles a military-style boot camp?

• Allison Nau

  Allison has taught 5th-12th grade for 10 years. They have a Bachelor's degree in education from University of Phoenix, and is certified to teach in both California and Arizona.

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• Instructor Ashley Dugger

  Ashley has a JD degree and is an attorney. She has extensive experience as a prosecutor and legal writer, and she has taught and written various law courses.

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What are intermediate sanctions? Learn the definition of intermediate sanctions, the purpose of intermediate sanctions, and how intermediate sanctions are used. Updated: 01/06/2022

Intermediate sanctions are punitive options that do not include jail time or probation. Intermediate sanctions are alternative paths to rehabilitation given to those who are not in jail or on probation, though they are also intended to rehabilitate the convicted offender. Intermediate sanctions are meant to help the offender continue to be part of their community, reduce overcrowding in prisons, and lessen the chance for recidivism. For example, an offender may be sentenced to participate in community service. This allows the offender to make up for his or her crime by helping the community. Intermediate sanctions can also help reduce the number of parolees a given case manager has on their caseload.

Criminal Sentences

When you think about the criminal justice process, you probably think of the trial. However, there are many different phases in the criminal justice process. Some of the most important stuff actually happens after the trial.

After an offender is found guilty by a jury, or pleads guilty to a crime, the process isn't over. The convicted offender then faces sentencing. During this phase, the offender is brought before the judge so that the offender's penalty can be ordered. The penalty, or criminal punishment, is known as the offender's sentence.

There are many different types of sentences. Sentences are typically designed to match the seriousness of the crime. Generally speaking, less serious property crimes, like shoplifting, will result in probation. Probation is a sentence of supervision for a set period of time. It's also often known as community supervision. The convicted defendant is usually given a prison sentence, but the sentence is then 'suspended' during the term of probation. The defendant is overseen by a probation officer and must display good behavior during the probation period or risk having probation revoked by the judge. If probation is revoked, the defendant will be sent to serve the prison sentence. Note that probation is the most common type of sentence, with over four million people on probation in the U.S.

More serious personal crimes, like aggravated assault, will result in incarceration. Incarceration is a sentence of confinement to a prison or jail. There are over two million people in our nation's prisons and jails.

While probation and incarceration are the two most popular sentencing options, they aren't the only two choices. Intermediate sanctions are alternate sentences used to supervise offenders who are neither under the usual restrictions of probation nor incarcerated.

Let's take a closer look at intermediate sanctions.

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There are four main types of intermediate sanctions:

• Day Fines: Day fines are fees paid by the convicted offender based on the severity of their crime and how much income they earn. These are called day fines because they take into account how much the offender earns per day. For example, someone accused of property crimes may not be required to pay as much as someone fined for assault because the severity of the crime is not as extreme. A teacher's fines may not be as high as a doctor's fines because they make less income. A penalty amount is assigned based on the severity of the crime and then adjusted to the convicted offender's daily income. This keeps the punishment equitable among offenders.

Community service is a common form of intermediate sanction for non-violent offenders.

• Intensive Supervision Programs: Intensive supervision programs serve as an alternative to imprisonment. These strict programs often require the offender to do mandatory community service, pay restitution, work, wear electronic monitoring devices (see below), and be subjected to drug and alcohol tests. The types of responsibilities and privileges are determined for the offender during sentencing.

Electronic monitoring bracelets can be worn (generally on the ankle) to remotely supervise convicted offenders.

• Electronic Monitoring or House Arrest: Electronic monitoring is an intermediate sanction in which an offender is required to wear a bracelet that remotely tracks their location. Electronic monitoring is also called house arrest because oftentimes the offender is unable to leave their residence. Electronic monitoring is often a condition of parole or probation but does not provide much information to those monitoring the device outside of the offender's location.
• Shock Incarceration (Boot Camp): Shock incarceration, or boot camp, is short-term incarceration that focuses on giving structure to the offender. Much like in the military, offenders participate in drills and strict exercise routines. The regimented, tiring routines are meant to give the offenders a sense of stability, responsibility, and accomplishment. This type of intermediate sanction is generally meant for young, non-violent offenders as an alternative to traditional incarceration.

Intermediate sanctions fall between probation and incarceration. They are a type of limitation placed on a convicted offender who is not incarcerated. You can think of intermediate sanctions as a stepped-up or higher level of probation.

Intermediate sanctions are largely a government response to prison overcrowding. We needed a sentencing option to further restrict and monitor the activities of probationers so that more offenders could be released to the community without public safety concerns.

The sanctions are based on the sentencing goal of rehabilitation, which is a type of penalty used to reform the offender and return the offender to society as a law-abiding citizen. Intermediate sanctions alleviate prison overcrowding by allowing more offenders to participate in programs designed to reform the offender while the offender lives as a part of the community.

Additionally, intermediate sanctions help reduce recidivism, or repeated criminal behavior. Because the rehabilitation programs are specifically designed to address the cause of the criminal behavior, such as drug addiction, the offender is less likely to continue participating in criminal behavior.

Now let's take a look at the different types of intermediate sanctions. Intermediate sanctions vary by state, though all states use intermediate sanctions. A few of the most common are:

Criminal Sentences

When you think about the criminal justice process, you probably think of the trial. However, there are many different phases in the criminal justice process. Some of the most important stuff actually happens after the trial.

After an offender is found guilty by a jury, or pleads guilty to a crime, the process isn't over. The convicted offender then faces sentencing. During this phase, the offender is brought before the judge so that the offender's penalty can be ordered. The penalty, or criminal punishment, is known as the offender's sentence.

There are many different types of sentences. Sentences are typically designed to match the seriousness of the crime. Generally speaking, less serious property crimes, like shoplifting, will result in probation. Probation is a sentence of supervision for a set period of time. It's also often known as community supervision. The convicted defendant is usually given a prison sentence, but the sentence is then 'suspended' during the term of probation. The defendant is overseen by a probation officer and must display good behavior during the probation period or risk having probation revoked by the judge. If probation is revoked, the defendant will be sent to serve the prison sentence. Note that probation is the most common type of sentence, with over four million people on probation in the U.S.

More serious personal crimes, like aggravated assault, will result in incarceration. Incarceration is a sentence of confinement to a prison or jail. There are over two million people in our nation's prisons and jails.

While probation and incarceration are the two most popular sentencing options, they aren't the only two choices. Intermediate sanctions are alternate sentences used to supervise offenders who are neither under the usual restrictions of probation nor incarcerated.

Let's take a closer look at intermediate sanctions.

Intermediate sanctions fall between probation and incarceration. They are a type of limitation placed on a convicted offender who is not incarcerated. You can think of intermediate sanctions as a stepped-up or higher level of probation.

Intermediate sanctions are largely a government response to prison overcrowding. We needed a sentencing option to further restrict and monitor the activities of probationers so that more offenders could be released to the community without public safety concerns.

The sanctions are based on the sentencing goal of rehabilitation, which is a type of penalty used to reform the offender and return the offender to society as a law-abiding citizen. Intermediate sanctions alleviate prison overcrowding by allowing more offenders to participate in programs designed to reform the offender while the offender lives as a part of the community.

Additionally, intermediate sanctions help reduce recidivism, or repeated criminal behavior. Because the rehabilitation programs are specifically designed to address the cause of the criminal behavior, such as drug addiction, the offender is less likely to continue participating in criminal behavior.

Now let's take a look at the different types of intermediate sanctions. Intermediate sanctions vary by state, though all states use intermediate sanctions. A few of the most common are:

What are intermediate sanctions examples?

Intermediate sanctions are alternative paths to rehabilitation for people who are accused of committing crimes. These steps toward rehabilitation do not include incarceration.

What are the four types of intermediate sanctions?

The four types of intermediate sanctions are day fines, intensive supervision programs, electronic monitoring or house arrest, and shock incarceration or boot camp.

What are intermediate sanctions used for?

Intermediate sanctions can be used to rehabilitate non-violent offenders in cases where incarceration may not be necessary. They can be useful for preventing overcrowding in prisons, overwhelming parole caseloads, and allowing the accused offender to be a part of the community while taking steps toward rehabilitation.

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