From time to time, people might suffer from a lack of proper judgment or make a mistake. Oftentimes, misdemeanor crimes, such as theft or shoplifting, are just that -- mistakes. However, even these less serious crimes can make a big impact on a person's life.
Technology aids alternative sentencing options
Sentencing options have expanded significantly in recent decades, especially as awareness of effective rehabilitation and deterrence methods grows. Incarceration and probation used to be the primary penalties imposed on those convicted of crimes, and those two options were limited in effectiveness and also very costly. Now, judges are using alternative sentencing options such as mental health or substance abuse treatment and electronic home confinement to impose more tailored sentences on certain offenders.
