The development of Parole

1
The development of Parole

• Chapter 11

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Introduction

• 20 of felons receive no supervision after
  leaving prison
• They serve their full sentence and leave prison
  (maxing out)
• Parole leaving prison conditional release and
  serves the rest of the time in the community

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How to get out

• Mandatory release expiration of their maximum
  time in prison
• Decided on by law
• Can be revoked if they dont comply with
  condtions
• Discretionary parole parole board decides on
  the release of an inmate

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Origins of Parole

• Parole is French parole dhonneur
• Means word of honor
• European idea by various prison administrators

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Manuel Montesinos

• Governor of the prison at Valencia, Spain
• The prison used military style discipline
• He encourage job training and education
• Could reduce their prison time by earning good
  time
• Later, the law was change and he resigned

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Georg Michael Obermaier

• Governor of prison in Munich, Germany
• Reformed prisoners
• Earned the inmates trust

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Alexander Maconochie

• gets the most credit for the use of parole
• Was in charge of Norfolk Island, an English
  Colony
• England poor economic conditions and high
  unemployment rates crowded prisons
• Solution transportation

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Machonochie

• Law in England that banished dangerous criminals
• Sent them to America
• Later, England stopped sending them to America
  and began sending them to Australia
• Did grant some pardons for those who could not
  physically work

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Machonochie

• Ticket of leave get out of sentence early
  similar to parole
• Marks system could earn marks for good behavior
  and to gradually increase freedom and privileges

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Norfolk Island

• Off the coast of Australia
• Maconochie treated the inmates humanely
• Did away with flogging and chain gangs
• Gave them food, health care
• Some did not like this and Maconochie was
  dismissed
• Later in 1867, transportation was stopped

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Sir Walter Crofton

• Liked the idea of ticket of leave and what
  happened on Norfolk Island
• Crofton was in charge of the prisons in Ireland
  in 1854
• Irish System
• Strict imprisonment
• Indeterminate sentencing
• Earn marks for good conduct

12

• Irish System
• Strict supervision and control
• When they left prison, they were under the
  supervision of an inspector (civilian employee)

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Parole in the U.S.

• Parole was first used at the Elmira Reformatory
  in New York in 1876
• Began in 1910 and was used at federal
  penitentiaries
• 1930 a formal federal parole board was created

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Parole in the US

• 4 concepts justified parole in the US
• Reduce the length of incarceration
• Supervision of the parolee
• Imposition of the indeterminate sentence
• Reduce the cost of incarceration

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Parole in the US

• The idea of good time was started in 1817 in
  New York
• Supervision volunteers and prison society
  members would supervise parolees in the community
• First paid parole officers 1845

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Zebulon Brockway

• Elmira Prison
• Grade inmates on their behavior, conduct,
  education etc.
• Eligible for parole
• Volunteer citizens supervised the parolees
• Known as guardians
• Written reports by guardians
• Used indeterminate sentencing

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Parole

• Used parole for economic reasons
• Inmate labor was cheap
• Later it affected the public employment levels so
  the inmate labor became privatized

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Medical Model

• 1930-1960
• Treatment and care inmates can be cured
• Behaviors could be corrected
• Individual care for each inmate to determine
  their treatment

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Medical Model

• After WWI, many people believe that parole was
  not working
• More focus on supervision after release
• Gave parole boards more authority to decide on
  release

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Changes

• Between WWII and 1970 major changes took place
• More programs in the prisons
• Work release, conjugal visits, therapy
• Rehabilitation
• Parole was then considered good again

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Philosophical Change

• Mid 1970s, idea of rehab and parole was changing
• Crime rates rising
• Harder to rehabilitate inmates
• Unfair sentencing practices
• Just deserts model
• Limited discretion among judges
• Determinate sentencing

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Justice Model

• Deserves to be punished
• Presumptive sentencing graded based on the
  severity of the crime and the circumstances
  surrounding the crime

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Changes

• Because people did not like the discretion with
  sentencing and the use of determinate sentencing,
  states began to abolish parole starting in 1976
• 1984 federal parole was abolished
• phased out by 2002

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Changes

• Truth in sentencing limits the releasing power
  by the parole board
• Must serve a minimum amount of time
• Some states have developed sentencing guidelines

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Changes

• Victims can attend parole hearings to voice their
  opinion on the release of the offender
• Release is a privilege, not a right

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Parolees

• At the beginning of 2003, there were more than
  753,000 people on parole
• Northeast region of the US has the most parolees
• Serve an average of one year on supevision

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Parolees

• Most (54) are on mandatory release while the
  rest are on discretionary release
• Most are men
• African American

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Functions of Parole

• Gradual supervised transition from prison to the
  community
• Goals
• Enforce restrictions and controls
• Provide services that help reintegrate
• Increase publics confidence

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Prison Population Control

• Parole relieves overcrowding in prisons

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Good Time Policies

• Good time earn a reduction off of their prison
  time by good conduct
• Amount of good time allowed varies by state
• How inmates earn good time varies also
• Incentive for good behavior
• Awarded by the DOC

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Medical Parole

• Rarely given
• Illness must be terminal
• What is the risk if the person is released?