Alternatives to imprisonment become all the more important with
the almost worldwide increase in incarceration. While knowledge
about the destructive effects of imprisonment is well-documented,
there is less scientific evidence as to the effectiveness of its
alternatives. In "Alternatives to Imprisonment," Ulla V. Bondeson
undertakes a unique socio-legal and criminological study of the
impact of three alternative sanctions: conditional sentence,
standard probation, and probation with institutional treatment.
Bondeson thoroughly researches the history of alternative
treatments, the genesis of the Swedish Penal Code, and the goals of
criminal policy. She further examines the implementation of the
sanctions by the courts, probation officers, lay supervisors,
institutional staff, and how treatment is perceived by offenders
throughout the process. Bondeson's extraordinary work also includes
a recidivism study demonstrating considerable and surprising
differences among rates of relapse, even when controlling for risk
groups. She finds that those sentenced to conditional prison
sentences had the lowest rates of criminal relapse. Those on
probation had higher rates of relapse, while a combination of
probation and institutional approaches had the highest rates. The
author shows that despite the legislator's intent to improve the
possibilities for re-socialization, principally the opposite result
ensued. However, compared with the results of treatment in
correctional institutions, the alternatives to imprisonment prove
much more effective and less costly. Based on her findings,
Bondeson makes a considerable number of practical suggestions for
effective reform of penal law and treatment of offenders. Many of
her proposals have also been subsequently implemented.
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