Chapter 8

1. Chapter 8 Parole and Parolees

2. Introduction • Parole is a complex decision that often involves a variety of criteria that are not clear-cut • A growing issue is the reentry of parolees back into their communities • There are various obstacles that impede offender reentry • Because many inmates have joined gangs while imprisoned, this has an affect back in their communities

3. Parole and Parolees • Parole defined • The conditional release of a prisoner from incarceration under supervision after a portion of the sentence has been served • Major distinction between probationers is that parolees have served some time incarcerated • Common characteristics among both include: • They have committed crimes • They have been convicted of crimes • They are under control or supervision • They are subject to one or more conditions

4. Parole and Parolees • The Historical Context of Parole • Parole existed in eighteenth century Spain, France, England, and Wales • Britain exported excess prisoners to America until the revolutionary war • After that England exported them to Australia • The U.S. connection with use of parole occurred in 1863 when Gaylord Hubbell, the warden at Sing Sing prison visited Ireland • Subsequently the National Prison Association considered the Irish parole system • Walter Crofton’s mark system is probably the forerunner of good-time credit

5. Parole and Alternative Sentencing Systems • Indeterminate sentencing and parole • Indeterminate sentencing is the only scheme that involves the intervention of parole boards • Parole boards are vested with absolute discretion concerning who gets paroled and are therefore very powerful • They also are responsible for the release of inmates who have committed further crimes and therefore they have been criticized

6. Parole and Alternative Sentencing Systems • Positive features of indeterminate sentencing • Allows full implementation of rehabilitative ideal • Maintains an orderly environment within the institution • Prevents unnecessary incarceration of an offender • Decision of length of incarceration reflects needs of the offender and not the gravity of the crime • Acts as a deterrent to crime

7. Parole and Alternative Sentencing Systems • Negative features of indeterminate sentencing • Inmates are not treated, trained, or rehabilitated • Treatment is tokenism and rehabilitation is nonexistent • Indeterminate sentencing makes it easy to ignore the underlying causes of crime • More often used as an instrument of inmate control • Danger that indeterminate sentencing will be used to punish people for unpopular political beliefs • Indeterminate sentencing encourages the smart criminal and not the less intelligent offender

8. Parole and Alternative Sentencing Systems • The shift to determinate sentencing • Nearly half of all states have shifted to determinate sentencing • This has resulted in abolition of parole • Federally, the United States has done the same with federal sentencing guidelines • This meansmore persons going to prison and for longer periods

9. Parole and Alternative Sentencing Systems • Good Time Credit and Early Release • Good time is a reward for good behavior and a management tool in most prisons • A majority of states permit good time credit at the rate of 15 days or more per month served • Prison overcrowding is probably the reason most states offer good time credit

10. The Philosophy of Parole • Parole has been established for the purpose of rehabilitation and reintegration • Parole is a continuation of a parolees punishment • Parole is earned rather than automatically granted

11. Functions of Parole • Manifest functions • To reintegrate parolees back into society • To control and Crime • Latent functions • To ease prison and jail overcrowding • To remedy sentencing disparities • To protect the public

12. A Profile of Parolees in the United States • Number of parolees under supervision • In 2004, 6.99 million persons were under some form of correctional supervision • Of these, 765,355 or 11% were on parole • Parole population grew about 12.6% from 1994 to 2005

13. Methods of Release from Prison • Release of large numbers of inmates is the result of many factors • Discretionary release • Involves parole board decision to release prisoners before they have served their full sentence • Mandatory release • Occurs when prisoners have served their full sentence minus good time credit • Unconditional release • Leave prison after serving full term behind bars

14. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Reentry refers to releases of prison and jail inmates back into the community • About 95% of all inmates will eventually be released back into their communities • Consistently and unfortunately, 65% of these will eventually reoffend

15. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Prison-based initiative to assist parolees and their merits • Do prisoners have the right to be rehabilitated? • The extent and nature of prison services varies greatly among prisons • Attaining sustainable employment and acceptance into the workforce is an obstacle to connecting with the community • Employers are reluctant to hire ex-offenders

16. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Preliminary classification and segregation • The first thing that happens to inmates upon entry into prison is that they are classified • Older offenders are separated from younger ones • Those with communicable diseases are segregated from healthy inmates • Those violent are separated from those less violent

17. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Presidential promises for corrections • In 2002–2004 George Bush allocated over $100 million to prisoner reentry and transitional services • The program Going Home made it clear that the federal government recognized the importance of rehabilitative programming • Since then, however, there has been a sharp reduction in federal, state, and local programs that provide offenders with life skills necessary for reintegration

18. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Seamless parole and parole programs • Idea is to provide continuity of care for inmates while they are confined, and to continue this care into community life • Program goals are to provide a seamless method of supervision and ease the transition of offenders • It makes sense to develop procedures that will promote transition of prison-to-community treatment monitoring

19. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Characteristics of parolees who reenter their communities • In 2000, @600,000 offenders were being returned to their communities • 40% have less than a high school education • 70% have been using drugs prior to incarceration • Over 50% were unemployed • Only 20% have received some sort of drug treatment

20. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • Obstacles to effective parolee reentry • Community resistance • The NIMBY syndrome • The costs and benefits of correctional treatment programs • Parolee restrictions and collateral sanctions • Parolees with serious mental illnesses

21. Inmate Classification Systems • Varieties of reentry programs • The Transition from Prison to Community Initiative (TPCI) • The Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) • The Reentry Partnership Initiative (RPI)

22. Parole Reentry and Reentry Issues • The emergence of reentry courts • Patterned after drug courts, these are where judges oversee and promote positive among inmates returning to their communities • Core elements of reentry courts: • Offender assessment and planning • Active offender oversight • Accountability to the community • Graduated and parsimonious sanctions • Access to an array of support services • Positive judicial reinforcement

23. The Growing Gang Presence • Increasing numbers of parolees are affiliated with gangs • Even if they are non gang members when entering prison, they will likely join a gang once in prison • Parole officers have reported that a major problem is gang affiliation • Overcoming gang influence is difficult • Gang Overview