There are other options available to those who have been convicted of a crime besides continued incarceration. Two of these options include probation and parole. To understand how they work, one must understand what they each are and how they are similar, what their advantages are, and what their disadvantages are for both. Alternative options cause a lot of back and forth about whether or not they work. It’s a community’s job to determine what’s best for them. The first step is to know the definition of parole and probation. Parole is “the supervised early release of inmates from correctional custody” (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 304). Probation is "a sentence served under supervision in the community" (Schmalleger, The first disadvantages are linked to the absence of punishment. Some believe that "punishment should be a central theme of the judicial process" and that a period of probation incarceration is a need of society and the victim (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 306) Some see a prison sentence as a necessary punishment either to allow the offender to learn from their mistakes or to allow victims to. turn the page for the crime committed. The next downside is the risk to the community Having criminal offenders go out and fraternize with the public “increases the risk that they will commit additional offenses” (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 307). ) Worldwide, it is much more difficult to track and control what they do while serving their sentence on parole or probation. The final benefit is the increased social cost. Probation and parole options “increase the risk of incurring additional expenses.” to the community in the form of child support, social expenses, accommodation costs, legal aid, health care for the indigent, etc. » (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 307). This disadvantage negates the cost advantage. This approach is based on the belief that these offenders will get out and cost the economy more in other ways than if they were incarcerated for a given period of time. These disadvantages are intended to provide insight into the threats that parole and probation pose to the