Exploring the Use of "VOP" Holds and Their Effect on One County Correctional Facility

• In Event: Community Supervision: Complexity and Effectiveness

Abstract

Community correctional officials continue to investigate effective ways to manage offender behavior and protect the community at large. As a result, some jurisdictions have turned to using short periods of confinement as a means to hold probationers accountable who violate their conditions. Doing so can aid probation officers in filing the necessary paperwork without losing sight of their probationers. However, this can strain resources at the county correctional facility and could potentially violate the constitutional rights of these probationers. Using data collected from a county correctional facility over the last three years, the current study evaluates the practice of placing probationers on a VOP hold and the policy implications associated with it.

Authors

• Natalie Goulette, University of West Florida

• Kathrine Johnson, University of West Florida

• Stefan Vaughn, Okaloosa County Department of Corrections