Applying the Principles of Deterrence in a Treatment Setting: Results from Pennsylvania's State Intermediate Punishment (SIP) Program

• In Event: Deterrence, Labeling and Prisonization

Abstract

The State Intermediate Punishment Program (SIP) is a state-level alternative sentence program for non-violent, drug involved offenders. Program participants serve their flat, 24 month sentence in four phases: incarceration, inpatient drug treatment, outpatient treatment in a halfway house and, finally, reintegration. In an effort to increase program compliance and reduce recidivism, a protocol has been developed to sanction violations with swiftness, certainty and proportionality. This approach applies principles of deterrence theory, as well as characteristics of other successfully community-supervision programs, within a reentry context. This paper reports on the process evaluation and preliminary outcomes of this project. SIP program participants are matched with and compared to similar offenders under DoC supervision who were not enrolled in the program.

Authors

• Jordan Hyatt, University of Pennsylvania / Rutgers University

• Geoffrey C. Barnes, University of Pennsylvania

• Kristofer Bret Bucklen, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections