The Courts can assign a person who has been convicted of a felony crime to probation with Community Corrections as an alternative to sending them to prison. This provides a substantial cost savings to the State and taxpayers. Field supervision costs approximately $6 per person per day compared to over $95 per day per person for incarceration.
Community Corrections staff monitor probationers’ compliance with court orders through frequent appointments drug testing, and collaboration with treatment providers, employers, and the person’s family and friends.
People who comply with supervision requirements can be released early by meeting certain conditions and paying any restitution owed in the case. The courts may also sanction non-compliance with jail time, additional treatment interventions, or the court may require the person to serve their underlying prison sanction. Community Corrections believes prison should be reserved for people who pose a substantial danger to the community.