Supervision Violations: Patterns and Outcomes

This study describes violating behavior and sanctioning responses in the postincarceration period. We describe patterns of noncompliance during supervised release—a subject known little about—and find that (a) nearly all offenders commit at least one violation and (b) the vast majority of violations are drug related. Additionally, we find that sanctioned offenders are less likely to reoffend, but that (a) severity is not critical, and (b) the relationship does not persist as violations grow. These results suggest that agencies may increase the effectiveness of sanctioning policies through careful consideration of what sanctions to apply, to whom and at what point.