o debtors' prison like systems is widely recognized in the states operating such systems, however, and, consequently, safeguards are incorporated into enabling legislation to preclude poten tial abuse, and/or distortion of the intent of such systems (Champion, 1988).
The modified goal of this research, therefore, is to exam ine the concept, as it is applied in the United States, of requiring convicted persons to pay a part of the costs of their paroles and probations. This examination covers the (1) impe tus for the development of the programs requiring convicted persons to pay a part of the costs associated with the adminis tration of their paroles and probations, (2) the structure and implementation of such cost shifting systems, (3) the potential for abuse in such systems, together with safeguards against such abuse which are built into the systems, and (4) implica tions for society of the implementation of such cost shifting systems.
IMPETUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAMS
REQUIRING CONVICTED PERSONS TO PAY A PART OF THE COSTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF
A variety of societal and economic factors coalesced in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and led to demands for changes in the way in which public services are delivered and funded. Whether or not true, there were widespread public perceptions that (1) the delivery of services by public organizations was inefficient, and (2) the persons receiving the benefits of pub lic services were not, in many instances, the persons who were funding such services.
Rising tax burdens led to such actions as "Proposition 13" in California, look alike actions in other states, and reduc tions in federal tax levels. Reduced taxes meant reduced pub lic revenues, which, in turn, meant increased pressure on pub lic organizations in the delivery of mandated services.
In effect, through "Proposition 13," the voters in Cali fornia ushered in the phenomenon of citizen deman...