Behavioral contracts should not only inform offenders of what their responsibilities are but should also provide a time frame for the tasks' completion. Responsibilities outlined in the behavioral contract are the key to supervision successes, because it informs offenders of their duties, and consequently helps place the responsibility for compliance on the offenders.

Behavioral contracts also provide offenders with a guideline of what will happen should they become noncompliant. Defining consequences for their actions, whether it is positive or negative, helps offenders look beyond their actions. This knowledge provides offenders with a moment of pause, knowing that their actions may lead them to jail. This may then cause the offenders to reconsider committing an illegal act.