The recent push for alternative incarceration mechanisms has been a response to the skyrocketing prison population in the United States. America has the highest incarceration rates among Western democracies. The number of people currently in prison, on parole or on probation exceeds 7 million. Lawmakers have passed a number of laws, such as sentencing guidelines, aimed at stabilizing prison population numbers. One method adopted is sentencing guidelines. Community-based corrections offer a viable alternative to incarceration. Alternatively, community-based corrections saves costs, reduces prison populations, is an effective form of rehabilitation, is humane and supported by the public. However, despite the potential for community-level corrections to reduce the prison population, this has not occurred. Judges are reluctant to impose community sanctions, and the philosophy of sentencing does not support it as an alternative mechanism for punishing offenders (Mackenzie, 2001). In the 1970s, there were general movements towards “getting tough” on crime. The result has been an increase in the number of people serving prison sentences. This has not substantially reduced crime. Furthermore, the justice system itself has become unjust because minorities are overrepresented in the prison population. This is because the police do not enforce drug laws equally. They mostly target blacks and Latinos and rarely arrest white drug users. The increased incarceration of Black and Latino men has had a devastating effect on Black and Latino communities. Since the first millennium AD, community-based corrections have a long history. The American experience since the 1970s demonstrates that community-based corrections should be adopted more aggressively… mid-paper… through a long and complicated development process. The goal of community service has not always been clear. However, due to the increasing prison population, community-based corrections are now seen as a good alternative to incarceration due to their rehabilitative nature and cost savings. Communities also support non-incarceration measures for offenders who commit minor crimes. Community sanctions are more humane and even more effective in reducing the problem of recidivism. The biggest problem in reforming the system is the perception that offenders are inherently bad and cannot be reformed. Evidence from research suggests that rehabilitation programs aimed at restorative justice as opposed to retributive justice are beneficial for all parties. Importantly, it addresses the criminal tendencies that led to the commission of the crime in the first place.