Question

explain what the phrase "widening the net" means. What might be some of the unintended consequences of increasing the number of offenders who are supervised by corrections officers in the community.

Answer 1

The phrase, “widening the net” refers to the process of administrative or practical changes that result in a greater number of individuals being controlled by the criminal justice system. The unintended implications of net widening are serious because the process may result in the diversion of resources from individuals most in need of intervention to those who may require little to no intervention. This process depletes the system’s resources and impairs its ability to properly intervene with appropriate offenders.