Alternatives to Incarceration.This paper is about options available for offenders that do not require jail or prison terms.Raises the question of cost effectiveness.

Ever since the first prison opened in the United States in 1790, incarceration has been the center of the nations criminal justice system. Over this 200 year period many creative alternatives to incarceration have been tried, and many at a much lower cost than imprisonment. It wasn't until the late 1980's when our criminal justice systems across the country began experiencing a problem with overcrowding of facilities. This problem forced lawmakers to develop new options for sentencing …

…parolees participate in an intensive aftercare-monitoring program for six months and complete the remainder of their sentence under parole supervision. There are many alternative programs in place, such as the ones I have talked about to help ease the problem of overcrowding in facilities, and although nothing is 100 percent effective in diminishing our countries crime rate, these programs are a good start in helping to divert offenders from a continuos cycle of crime and violence.