An Overview of Intermittent Confinement and Weekend Incarceration in the U.S.

Ohio State Legal Studies Research Paper No. 824

Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, February 2024

174 Pages Posted: 13 Feb 2024

See all articles by Peter Leasure

Peter Leasure

Ohio State University (OSU) - Michael E. Moritz College of Law

Douglas A. Berman

Ohio State University (OSU) - Michael E. Moritz College of Law

Jana Hrdinova

Ohio State University (OSU) - Michael E. Moritz College of Law

Date Written: February 12, 2024

Abstract

In the current study, we provide an overview of federal law on intermittent confinement, present data on the use of intermittent confinement in the federal system and weekend incarceration in the state system, discuss existing research on intermittent confinement and weekend incarceration, and present results of a survey of federal probation officers on their opinions of intermittent confinement. Overall, the results of the study indicated that intermittent confinement and weekend sentences are rarely used in federal and state systems (relative to traditional incarceration sentences). Additionally, we found that a single federal district (Texas West) accounted for the majority of federal intermittent confinement cases across several years of data. Results of the survey of federal probation officers showed that logistical issues with intermittent confinement and incarceration facility availability may be a cause for low numbers of intermittent confinement sentences. The finding about logistical issues with intermittent confinement was consistent with previous research. Informed by these findings, directions for future research are discussed in detail.

Keywords: Intermittent confinement, weekend incarceration, rehabilitation, alternative sentences, survey, periodic confinement, part-time imprisonment, alternative incarceration, weekend-only inmates, public safety

Suggested Citation

Leasure, Peter and Berman, Douglas A. and Hrdinova, Jana, An Overview of Intermittent Confinement and Weekend Incarceration in the U.S. (February 12, 2024). Ohio State Legal Studies Research Paper No. 824, Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, February 2024, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4723504 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4723504

Peter Leasure (Contact Author)

Ohio State University (OSU) - Michael E. Moritz College of Law ( email )

55 West 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
United States

Douglas A. Berman

Ohio State University (OSU) - Michael E. Moritz College of Law ( email )

55 West 12th Street
Columbus, OH 43210
United States
614-688-8690 (Phone)

Jana Hrdinova

Ohio State University (OSU) - Michael E. Moritz College of Law

55 West 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
United States

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