Parole officers' conflicting duties of providing both social assistance and authoritative supervision cause stress and frustration. On the one hand, biweekly meetings with a parole officer have no deterrent effect on ex-offenders intent on recidivating and may even give them an advantage before police interrogators. On the other hand, the mandatory regulations constrain agents' relationships with parolees whose criminal involvements have ceased and who are working to rehabilitate themselves. A proposed solution may be a postrelease assistance service to be used by ex-offenders on a voluntary basis, according to their own perceived needs. Relieved of their coercive power over parolees, agents would be in a position to give specific assistance to ex-offenders with social reintegration problems. Instead of working under pretexts of protecting society or providing therapeutic aid to parolees, parole officers could embark on joint efforts with their clients in finding lodging, employment, and facing other difficulties. The suggested reorientation of parole will not reduce recidivism, but it does offer new justification for parole work and improved chances for ex-offenders willing to assume responsibility for self-rehabilitation. Eight footnotes are given.