Probation and Parole: Supervision

Shock probation is a program that allows sentencing judges to reconsider the offender's original sentence to prison and then recall the inmate for a sentence to probation within the community. It is presumed that a short term or imprisonment would "shock" the offender into changing their criminal behavior. With shock probation, an offender is sent to prison, and then within a specified period of time (usually between 30 and 120 days), a judge can bring that offender back out for community supervision.

The overall effects of shock probation remain unknown. Until more research is conducted, perhaps the best tentative conclusions is that it can reduce the cost of incarceration, and may be just as effective in preventing recidivism as prison.