Revocation Trends: A Threat to the Legitimacy of Community-Based Corrections

Abstract

Community-based correctional agencies exist in an institutional environment where maintaining legitimacy is essential for organizational success. Maintaining legitimacy has emerged as an even more salient issue in recent times given the current economic state. This article argues that the growing number of offenders who are incarcerated after their unsuccessful termination from community supervision represents a prominent threat to the legitimacy of community-based correctional organizations. This article draws attention to the relationship between revocation trends and the legitimacy of community corrections. In addition, strategies to enhance legitimacy by mitigating the effects of community corrections failures are addressed.