Part 1 provides descriptions of criminal justice systems, particularly parole procedures and conditions, in the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, and Sweden. Emphasis is placed on guiding philosophies and proposals for reform, particularly in discretionary aspects of parole decisionmaking. In Part 2, debate surrounding the viability of parole is reviewed with a focus on the impact of determinate sentences and sentencing guidelines in the United States. Factors contributing to the abolishment and restriction of parole in many States are discussed, including crime rates, public attitudes toward crime and corrections, disenchantment with the notion of rehabilitation, and the need to restrain discretion. Part 3 reviews the history and philosophy of parole, while Part 4 looks at future prospects of parole as a tool for prison population management and rehabilitation.