For example, a local decision to imprison an offender may shift the cost from the county to the state. Similarly, in some jurisdictions, a probation or parole officer's decision to revoke shifts the caseload from community corrections to the state. Many legislatures prohibit numerous possessions and activities for inmates, thus depriving correctional administrators of powerful motivational tools. Prison and jail administrators should be allowed the flexibility to employ a broad range of sanctions and incentives to discipline infractions, motivate change, recognize progress, and enhance staff safety. Actions are too often assessed in terms of intended rather than actual consequences.
Some current policies have unforeseen, long-term, negative consequences.
Mental health, primary health, race and ethnicity, age, and gender are often not adequately addressed by existing interventions. Many juvenile and adult offenders with substance use disorders also have co-occurring mental disorders and primary health care needs. Fully one-third of the people in the U.S. with TB pass through correctional facilities. 19 To be maximally effective, treatment must address these co-occurring health conditions, must be appropriate to the age and gender of the offender, and must be appropriate to the offender's race and ethnic heritage. Treatment should also involve the offender's family, when possible.