Intelligence, Probation and Prisons in Criminal Justice

The gathering and scrutiny of information to give intelligence end result meant to enlighten police decision making at the tactical and strategic levels is referred to as the intelligence-led policing. Any information salvaged from various sources that can be scrutinized and deduced for a variety of purposes is known as intelligence. In addition, any data salvaged linked to criminal activity is referred to as criminal intelligence. This data can assist police both strategically and tactically. One way of establishing criminal intelligence is by identifying crime drifts and carefully observing specific groups notorious for criminal activities.

Police are able to establish the soundest forms of action to use to approach and arrest lawbreakers and close down unlawful activities by utilizing the data from a tactical viewpoint. Moreover, the intelligence collected from a strategic perspective can help the police in establishing top policies and practices to avert and manage potential situations, basically determining the best approaches to prevent crimes before they occur. Furthermore, intelligence-led policing plays a vital role in the complex world we currently live in that is prone to numerous terrorist activities. A lot of lives could be saved from a potential terrorist attack when there is the availability of information in advance, thus giving the police adequate time to react.

The 9/11 terrorist attack transformed the world forever, particularly for Americans. From a policing perspective, the effects of 9/11 were huge and numerous transformations were made in the American criminal justice to avert and respond to any possible attacks. Intelligence-led policing became an effective approach among police departments, as well as in the local police. Previously, the local police were famous for reacting to events once they had occurred; however, the intelligence-led policing enables them to avert such events before they occur. Currently, with all the terrorist's groups cropping up all over the world, most local police in big cities that are more likely to be targeted by these terrorists have created anti-terrorism units. Also, extra training has been powerfully stressed among local police since 9/11, to equip them with skills on how to identify and manage terrorist attacks. In addition, the federal and local police now share more information between their departments to aid in fighting terrorism. The FBI formed a Joint Terrorism Task Force with people stationed in all field offices, and this task force precisely meets with local and state police to give out information and offer training. Although numerous criminal databases which are accessible exist, the plans of having an all-inclusive database are ongoing. This database will assist enable the process of information sharing among all ranks of the police.

A sentence served under supervision is known as probation. The aim of probation is to exercise some control over lawbreakers while utilizing the community programs so as to assist rehabilitate them. Probation is the most popular type of criminal sentencing in the U. S. criminals must consent to obey the court’s instructed conditions when they are sentenced to probation. However, probation may be overturned if the offender disobeys any of the issued conditions. Moreover, there are two probation stipulations, specific probation, and general probation. The general stipulations affect all probationers in a particular jurisdiction and it needs them to abide by the laws, keep employment, stay within the dominion of the court, own no guns, and let the probation officer visit their place of work and home. Additionally, they may be needed to pay a fine to the court, usually in installment payments in order to compensate victims for damages and to reimburse costs for the lawyer and other court expenses.

Parole is described as a “supervised early release of inmates from correctional confinement. ” The aim of parole is to move back lawbreakers progressively to constructive lives. Also, parole can be used as a motivation for positive behavior transformation. The parole board which basically is the state paroling experts usually gives parole founded on the judgment and evaluation by the board members. Moreover, parolees also have to adhere to certain rules just like in probation such as follow extradition demands, consent to not leave the state, and show up for appointments with their parole officer. Also, the parole officer may require going to the place of work of the parolee or their home. Both parolee and a probationer have advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages consist of community support, lesser costs, decreased possibility of criminal socialization, restitution, improved utilization of community services, and greater chances for rehabilitation. The disadvantages involve added danger to the community, added social expenses, and somewhat lack of punishment.

Initially, prisons were created with the intention of rehabilitating criminals and as a substitute for the prior year’s corporal punishments. Nevertheless, in 197, together with some of his associates, Robert Martinson reviewed approximately 231 case studies so as to assess correctional managements between 1945 and 1967. According to him, there were no treatment plans which would significantly lessen reoffending among former criminals after they were set free from prison. In addition, the National Academy of Sciences issued a report that backed Robert’s assumption during that period. The joint condemnation resulted in the ‘Nothing-Works Doctrine,’ which alleged that “correctional treatment programs have had little success in rehabilitating offenders. ” As a result, a new sentencing method referred to as the ‘justice model’ was established and it focused on a “get tough on crime. ” This then resulted in the rise of new forms of sentencing like mandatory minimum sentencing and the truth-in-sentencing. Furthermore, this proceeded to the “war on drugs” and the “three strikes and you’re out” acts. These forms of sentencing procedures impacted the prison populaces by significantly raising the normal time served by the lawbreakers before they are set free. During that time, the intensified use of punishments for offenses linked to drugs as well as hard required prison sentences for drug criminals resulted in a big amount of people who were under correctional custody in the United States.