Google Sandbox - does it still exist?

[Andiamo]

We're working with a client who used some horrifyingly egregious techniques dubiously labeled as "SEO". We're talking mass-scale pages of duplicate content slightly spun to try to rank for many different locations.

Obviously they're getting nowhere fast in terms of rankings and traffic. We're working with them on an aggressive campaign to fix up their content and reduce duplicate content designed to clearly game the SEs. But we've been at it for a few months, and we're not seeing any results. Is it possible they they've been sandboxed? Is Google Sandbox still a thing?

[EditorialGuy]

Maybe not a "sandbox," but Panda?

This leads us to a question: If and when Panda and Penguin are theoretically able to operate in real time, wouldn't it make sense for Google to include some kind of variable (and unpredictable) lag time to encourage good behavior and make manipulation more difficult?

[superclown2]

If the domain has lost "trust" then it may well be penalised. That's a different thing altogether to the old sandbox.

Forget it and launch some new sites would be my standard response.

[RedBar]

Maybe not a "sandbox," but Panda?

Possibly, maybe, who knows if or when it may be released or if it may get another "penalty" of whatever description?

Without seeing it I tend to agree with superclown2, new domain on new hosting, have a clean start.

[IamnotMattCutts]

We're working with them on an aggressive campaign

If you're looking to tun around 'horrifyingly egregious techniques' in a few months using an 'aggressive' campaign, I would reconsider your expectations and approach.