Parole
Parole
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What is Parole?
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Parole is the conditional release of an offender from incarceration, to community supervision, after a portion of their prison sentence has been served.
Jails and Prisons
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What is the difference between jail and prison?
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Jail: A locally confinement facility.
•Sentence up to 12 months (Local Time)
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Prison: A state or federal confinement facility
•Sentence one year or longer (State Time)
Parole History
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Reasons For Parole Origin:
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Encourage Rehabilitation
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Ensure Community Protection
Parole History
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Parole Intent
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Transition Between Prison and Freedom
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Provide Offender Supervision
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Help Parolees Become Self-Sufficient
Parole Criticisms
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Criticisms
• It Doesn’t Work
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Rehabilitation In Prison Is A Fallacy
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Parole Release Decisions Are Arbitrary
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Community Supervision Is Inadequate
Parole History
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Parole has traditionally been linked to Indeterminate Sentencing.
–Wide Ranging Discretion
–Freedom From External Controls
–Statutes Specify Maximum Sentences
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Good Time Statutes allowed deduction of time served for good behavior.
Types Of Prison Release

• Conditional (AKA: Discretionary)
•Parolee released with some portion of the sentence not served
• Mandatory
•Parolee released early, usually 4-6 month sentence remaining, by legislative requirement
• Unconditional
•Parolee serves entire sentence and is released without parole
Important Terminology
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Minimum Expiration Date (MED)
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MED is the date the parole obligation is complete.
•The minimum expiration date from supervision is January 1, 2010.
Parolee Adjustment Problems
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Parolees face different adjustment problems than probationers.
•Readjustment to Freedom, Job, Family
•Longer prison sentence, less likely to have support system waiting when released
Parolee Adjustment Problems
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Most offenders leave prison with the same problems they had when they went to prison
–Drugs
–Alcohol
–Emotional
–Interpersonal
–Educational
–Employment
Civil Liberties
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Felons lose some civil liberties.
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They are called Civil Disabilities.
•Right to Vote
•Right to Hold Public Office
•Right to Bear Arms
• Omnibus Gun Control Act 1968 and 1972
•Some Occupational Licensures
Argument
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Parole, like prison, is supposed to change a person, making them less likely to re-offend and more likely to survive in society.
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Some argue to abolish parole.
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Why not argue to abolish prison?
 It doesn’t work to improve behavior.
Parole Abolition

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Parole has been abolished in 17 states.
•Get-Tough Era of Corrections
Parole Abolition
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Has parole been abolished in Virginia?
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Is parole still granted in Virginia?
Parole Abolition
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Has parole been abolished in Virginia?
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Is parole still granted in Virginia?
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Parole has been abolished in Virginia.
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Parole is still granted in Virginia.
•Cases sentenced prior to parole abolition
•Multiple misdemeanors resulting in state time
Parole Administrative Structure
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Three Types
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Institutional Model
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Autonomous Model
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Consolidated Model
Parole Administrative Structure
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Institutional Model
•The Preferred Juvenile Model
•“Prison Officials In Best Position To Know”
Parole Administrative Structure
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Autonomous Model
•Separate Agency Independent of Corrections
•Supposedly More Objective Decision Process

Parole Administrative Structure
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Consolidated Model
•Combination of Both Prior Models
•Institutional Personnel Input But Not Decision
•Most Common Adult Correctional Model
• Model Used in Virginia
Reality
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If parole was abolished in Virginia, why would legislators re-institute it under other names?
•Reason: The need to appear tough on crime.
•Is this ethical leadership?
•Does it say politicians lack faith in the public’s ability to make informed decisions?
Parole Grant Rates
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National Parole Grant Rates
•1977 72%
•1988 About 40%
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Virginia Parole Grant Rates
•1988 42%
•1995 8%
•2001 About 8%
Parole Grant Rates
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Parole decisions are made by Parole Boards.
•Most Parole Boards are appointed by Governors.
•Parole Board members are gubernatorial appointees.
Parole Bias and
Public Responsibility
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Virginia parole grant rate when Gov. George Allen took office was 42%.
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Gov. Allen appointed a new Parole Board. The grant rate immediately dropped to 6%.
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Richmond Times Dispatch ran the story.
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The grant rate immediately rose to 15%.
Parole Bias and
Public Responsibility
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Fact: Probation and Parole are at least as effective as prison at reducing recidivism.

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Fact: CBC with TX costs less than prison and greatly reduces recidivism.
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It is good public stewardship to confine all offenders for 85% of their sentence?