In other circumstances, the offender should be directed towards more traditional means of punishment.

Conclusion

Split sentencing has been part of the criminal justice system since the beginning of incarceration programs, and shock probation programs, a form of split sentencing, have been in use for more than 50 years. There is significant debate about the efficacy of these programs, because some so-called shock probation programs are linked to high rates of recidivism and offender violence, while others are shown to dramatically reduce recidivism. The important thing to keep in mind is that not all programs labeled shock probation programs actually follow the guidelines established in the 1960s for these programs. Shock probation programs involve the exposure of a defendant to a prison-type environment followed by period of highly monitored probation. However, shock probation programs were never intended to be used on those defendants who were unlikely to be shocked by...
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