Parole and Reentry Into the Community

1
Parole and Reentry Into the Community

• Prisoner Reentry
• Release and Supervision
• Release Mechanisms
• Parole Supervision in the Community
• Future of Prisoner Reentry

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Release and Supervision

• Prisoner reentry ½ will return
• Travis and Petersilia study on why
• Parole conditional release from incarceration
  but not legal custody
• Three concepts 1) grace 2) contract 3) custody
• Origins
• English, Australian Irish ticket of leave
• Development of Parole in America

3
Release Mechanisms

• Types of Release Mechanisms
• Discretionary Release Discretion of Parole Board
• Mandatory Release Sentence done, still
  supervised
• Conditional Release See above, alternatives
• Expiration Release Sentence done, no supervision
• Impact of Release Mechanisms
• Felons serve fraction of time (see charts)
• Good gt equalizes sentencing disparity
• Bad gt Shifts responsibility low accountability

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Average Time Served for a Given Offense in
Months
5
Average Time Served Compared with Average
Sentence in Months
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Parole Supervision in the Community

• Conditional Release
• Terms
• Problems
• Community Programs
• Work
• Furloughs
• Halfway Houses

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Parole Officer Cop or Social Worker?
gt Parole Officers asked to play different Roles gt
Extensive Discretion Involved gt Low visibility in
decisions gt Sometimes in conflicting positions
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Adjustment to Life Outside Prison

• Life inside was highly structured
• Temptations of the outside world
• New responsibilities
• Hostility and discrimination

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Future of Prisoner Reentry

• Under attack
• Symbol of leniency
• Public outrage at parolee crimes
• Needed to handle demand
• Lack of assistance
• Reentry Courts