Behavioral Science Critique of HOPE.

The author critiques the swift, certain and fair (SCF) punishment aspect of Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) probation program from the behavioral science perspective. He notes that HOPE's punishment are not swift enough to take advantage of the disproportionate influence of immediacy of certain punishments. Considering prospect theory, he adds that small probability of severe punishment have more considerable influence if that consequence is perceived as "possible."