Community Corrections Quick Facts 2002

North Carolina Department of Public Safety

Community Corrections Quick Facts

Statistics - Statewide
Offenders on probation 114,191
Offenders on parole 2,517

Most frequent crimes for probation entries in 2001
Drugs Non-Trafficking             19.4%
DWI                                      16.8%
Assault                                 12.9%
Larceny                                 12.8%
Other/Traffic Violations            10.7%

Definitions

Probation – A court-ordered sanction that requires a person who has committed a crime to serve his/her sentence in the community under the supervision of a probation officer. The conditions of supervision may vary and could include jail time, restitution, community service or other sanctions. If the person does not follow the conditions of their probation, they could go back before a judge and be sent to jail or prison.

Parole – The release of a person to supervision in the community after serving a portion of the imposed sentence in prison. The Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission is an independent agency that is responsible for releasing offenders who meet eligibility requirements established in North Carolina General Statutes. A person on parole is called a parolee. The conditions of the community-based supervision could include employment, life skills counseling, drug or alcohol treatment and other conditions to assist the offender in becoming a productive and law-abiding citizen. The mission of parole is to assist offenders in successfully reintegrating into the community.

Post release supervision – Some violent offenders are required to serve a mandatory period of supervision in the community following completion of their prison sentence. During this period they may be returned to prison for violating the conditions of supervision.

Split sentence (special probation): A court-imposed sanction for probationers that requires the defendant to submit to a period of imprisonment, not to exceed six months, followed by a term of probation under an intermediate level of probation supervision.

IMPACT: A residential program designed for offenders between the ages of 16 and 30 who are initially sentenced either by the court or who receive the placement as a result of a probation violation.

Residential community corrections: A residential program where offenders are required as a condition of probation to reside in a specified facility for a specified length of time.

Electronic house arrest: A sanction where the offender wears a transmitting device that monitors his/her movement. The offender is confined to the residence at all times, except for authorized occasions such as employment, school or treatment.

Intensive supervision: A sanction reserved for higher risk offenders. These offenders are either initially sentenced by the court, paroled by the Parole Commission or placed as a result of the violation process. Through enhanced interaction, the offender is provided with the proper balance of control and assistance by addressing those factors, which contribute to the likelihood of failure.

Intermediate or community supervision: Offenders are monitored by their probation officer, must adhere to any court-ordered conditions and meet with their probation officer on an established schedule.

Note: More information about the Division of Community Corrections is available at
www.doc.state.nc.us/dcomcor