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PAROLE - A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

NCJ Number
67847
Author(s)
G A CAVENDER
Date Published
1979
Length
328 pages
Annotation
THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING PAROLE LARGELY FOCUSES ON ITS FAILURE TO REHABILITATE OFFENDERS; PAROLE'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIAL PROTECTION, PRISON MANAGEMENT, AND RELIEF FROM PRISON OVERCROWDING ARE IGNORED.
Abstract
A REVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL LITERATURE SHOWS THAT PAROLE DEVELOPED IN GREAT BRITAIN AS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE POLICY OF 'TRANSPORTATION'--THE SHIPPING OF CONVICTED PERSONS TO THE COLONIES IN, FIRST, AMERICA, AND THEN, AUSTRALIA. PAROLE WAS A MEANS TO SUPERVISE THESE FELONS WHILE THEY WERE INDENTURED TO COLONIAL FAMILIES; AT THIS TIME ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS TO PROTECT SOCIETY. IN THE LATE 1800'S REFORMERS BEGAN TO LOOK UPON PAROLE AS A MEANS OF REHABILITATION. AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE SHOWS THAT MUCH OF THE DISENCHANTMENT WITH PAROLE STEMS FROM ITS FAILURE AS A 'TREATMENT,' AS MEASURED BY RECIDIVISM RATES, DRUG USAGE, AND OTHER INDEXES OF UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOR. CRITICS ALSO CHARGE THAT CAPRICIOUS PAROLE BOARDS VIOLATE DUE PROCESS. LAWS TO CURB SUCH ABUSES HAVE BEEN ENACTED IN MINNESOTA, DELAWARE, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, INDIANA, FLORIDA, MAINE, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, ALASKA, WASHINGTON, AND MARYLAND. IN ADDITION, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REVISING ITS PAROLE LAWS. PAROLE ENABLES PRISON ADMINISTRATORS TO REWARD DESIRABLE BEHAVIOR, AND, THUS, AIDS PRISON MANAGEMENT. IT ALSO RELIEVES OVERCROWDING AND HELPS TO PROTECT SOCIETY FROM RECENTLY RELEASED FELONS. THESE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE IMPORTANT AND ARGUE FOR THE CONTINUATION OF PAROLE. IN ADDITION TO AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NEARLY 250 ENTRIES, THIS STUDY CONTAINS NUMEROUS TABLES PRESENTING PAROLE STATISTICS AND SUMMARIZING OTHER RESEARCH.

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