ABSTRACT
This chapter describes non-institutional treatment and evaluates the sanctions of conditional sentence and probation. It explains the effects of the law and explores reforms based on the findings of points 1-3 with the purpose of rendering non-institutional treatment more effective. The chapter discusses within the discipline of sociology of law insofar as it provides a sociological description of legal institutions and the effects of law. The probation sanction exists in two different forms: ordinary probation which involves only supervision in the community and probation with institutional treatment in which an initial short period of institutional treatment precedes supervision in the community. Research on imprisonment has clearly been more comprehensive, particularly internationally, than research on non-custodial sanctions. The former generally state a norm to be observed backed up by the use of negative sanctions. The latter often communicate values and goals which are to be realized with the help of positive sanctions.
