Probation as a Reparative Sentence

Source: (1983) Federal Probation 46(3):9-18.

Probation as a reparative sentence should become the penalty of choice for property offenders. The reparative sentence requires offenders to restore victim losses either through monetary restitution or personal service. If there are no victim losses, or the nature of the offense requires a more severe penalty, additional reparations can be made to the community in the form of unpaid service. The reparative sentence should be carried out in a manner which maximizes the possibility of reconciliation of the offender to the community. This requires active victim involvement in all phases of the sentence, involving the offender in the local community for community service restitution, and the use of a community sponsor selected by the offender for monitoring implementation of the sentences.