n, the continuing increase in the frequency of crime, and an eroding public confidence in the ability of the criminal justice establishment to deal with the overall situation combine to cause the problematic situation of to be one of particular significance in the United States in the contemporary period. It is, thus, imperative that an effective solution to the problem be found and implemented. This implementation plan is for a policy designed to reduce the rate of recidivism among non violent offenders.
Policy Goals The essential goals of the policy described in this implementation plan are concerned with (1) deterrence of criminal activity, (2) the rehabilitation of offenders, (3) the punishment of offenders, (4) the incapacitation of offenders in the context of the opportunity to re engage in criminal behavior during the corrections period, (5) reduced prison crowding, and (6) reduced corrections costs. The specific goals of the policy to be implemented are as follows:
1. The first goal of this policy is an improvement in the effectiveness of non violent offender rehabilitation efforts. This goal will be operationalized within the context of the non violent offender recidivism rate. A reduction in the non violent offender recidivism rate will, for the purposes of policy evaluation, be considered to be a reflection of an improvement in the effectiveness of non violent offender rehabilitation efforts.
2. The second goal of this policy is to punish non violent offenders for their criminal behavior. The facet of the policy described in this implementation plan that requires non violent offenders to provide restitution to their victims will provide the punishment component of the policy, and this same requirement will act as a deterrence to the recommission of criminal acts by non violent offenders.
3. The third goal of this policy is to incapacitate non violent offenders during the corrections period in the con...