III. Behavior and Change:
Incentive Tools

The more certain, immediate, predictable, and proportionate, the more impact sanctions and rewards will have on offender behavior. The opposite is true as well: violations that go undetected or unpunished, and sanctions that are delayed, arbitrary or overly harsh will dilute the impact of supervision on behavior and recidivism. This makes it critical for staff to work with courts and parole boards to define as clearly as possible the specific sanctions that will result from minor, moderate, and major violations, and the procedures for implementing the sanctions, especially those that involve restrictions of liberty and generally require a degree of due process. For the sake of certainty for individual offenders and equity among all offenders in a jurisdiction, sanction policies should be as uniform as possible while providing flexibility to adjust when circumstances dictate.

In addition, rewards for progress are as important, if not more important, than sanctions in shaping behavior and the process of change. While often difficult for staff to deliver, research clearly indicates that positive reinforcements have staying power while punishments are easily forgotten, especially once the threat of them is lifted. Most people are motivated by acceptance and satisfaction with progress rewarded, and rewards reinforce these behaviors.

Certain, immediate, predictable, and proportionate rewards and sanctions will impact offender behavior.

It is in this dual movement that the law enforcement and social work models of supervision join together vividly.

Violations are not tolerated, yet success is rewarded. Staff offers carrots, but also wields sticks. They demonstrate that they are serious about enforcing conditions while at the same time willing to acknowledge offender progress in change. Violations may be called "technical" but they are seen as important indicators of offender progress toward change, not as trivial. A missed drug treatment session receives a sanction both to hold an offender accountable for breaking the rules, and to send the message that getting clean is important for health and safety of the offender, as well as the public's.