Parole Review Know each BOLD and annotated with Rise of the determinate sentencing model o Federally mandated prison population minimums Methods of Prison Release TEST o Discretionary release Release granted by a parole board or committee before an inmate s release date subject to certain conditions put forth by a parole board o Mandatory release Release from prison required by statute when an individual has been confined for a period equal to their full sentence minus good time if any o Mixed system Decision to supervise o Conditional o Unconditional Release from detention with restrictions or conditions Release from detention without any conditions or restrictions Roughly 18 nationwide 1985 1994 number of parolees under supervision grew by 130 1981 136 per 100 000 Growth of Parole Population By 2000 347 per 100 000 Disproportionate concentration o CA 42 of all parolees o 3 4 never see parole board Greater of released prisoners on parole than any other time in our history o Currently 80 of those released prisoners on parole o Reduced reliance on parole boards o 3 5 of prisoners are put on parole Bottom Line for a large number of exiting prisoners we have lost the link between pre release preparation and post release supervision Parole Success Definition of success or failure o No national standard comparison of successes and failures over time and across states is very difficult BJS Definition success no return to prison jail or absconding from supervision Throughout the 1990 s success rate fairly stable 42 49 TEST Disaggregation o First time release o By state Policies and practices of parole agencies contribute to these differences California Parole in Florida October 1 1983 o Discretionary parole release was abolished for almost all offenses o Sentencing guidelines took effect Gain Time court o Release inmates to keep in line with the boundaries established by the federal o Crack epidemic and rising prison populations two more types of gain time introduced 1987 Control Release Authority o Point system and unlimited discretion Selective incapacitation and funds for more beds o 24k new beds made available no more early release o December 1994 programs ended Parole in Florida today Who is eligible o People convicted of crimes before October 1 1983 are eligible for parole Gaintime an inmate s opportunity to earn a reduction if eligible in his or her overall sentence imposed by the court once they have completed 85 of their sentence o Basic eliminated Jan 1 1994 o Incentive awarded for work and participation in programs o Meritorious awarded for an outstanding deed o Educational achievement up to 60 days for GED or certificate of completion of a vocational program o Education FL DOC up to 6 days for completion of literacy program o The 1983 sentencing guidelines abolished parole for any offense committed after October 1 1983 o The 1994 sentencing guidelines repealed the Basic Gain time grant to show commitment to the truth in sentencing legislature Release Process Effect Flaw selection by parole board Discretionary o Post incarceration supervision o CBA by parole board o Can have the same effect as mandatory Mandatory o Parole board determination is not reliable prisonization o Timing of release programs help with transition back into the community Why abolish parole Argument longer prison sentences and truth in sentencing Abolishing parole contributes to bad correctional practices o Release from prison should be earned o Purpose of a parole board Ex Richard Allen Davis o Served a ten year prison term and every time he applied for parole he got denied o Once he served his ten years and got paroled out of prison the first thing he did was sneak into a girls house then abducted raped and killed her Services and Parole Conditions housing assistance Parole has moved away from their historical mission counseling job training and o Rehabilitation or control o Standard job of parole officer is rehabilitation but many job tasks deal with controlling parolee o Parole may seem to be rehabilitative but in reality is all about control o Varies between and within states Ex California o 200 shelter beds for 10 000 homeless parolees o 4 mental health clinic for 18 000 psychiatric cases o 750 beds in treatment programs for 85 000 drug and alcohol abusers Parole says its mandatory to enroll in these programs but there is not enough space therefore would violate parole and go back to jail Contributes to revolving door of homelessness Unrealistic parole conditions o 1200 inmates under 23 hour isolation go directly from isolation to the community Parole Classification and Caseload Assignment Formal approach to classification and case management o Use a formula to see what problem areas may be for offender o Risk needs assessment for a total score Risk Needs amount of supervision they will need o Intensive regular or minimum supervision Specialized caseloads o Offenders pose a particular serious threat to public safety or present unique problems that may affect adjustment o Ex sex offenders and drug abusers o Parole is not aimed at improving recidivism but to release and control offender safely back into community Parole Caseload Supervision Level Contacts and Annual Cost 82 of parolees go to a regular caseload parole officer o Average caseload size is 70 inmates per officer o PO only able to see offender less than twice a month o Annual supervision is 1 400 Problem isn t Parole Officer the problem is the system assigning 70 inmates to one officer Parole Revocation Can be revoked for 2 reasons o Commission of a new crime o Technical violation Drug test not holding employment or paying fee s o Parole violation are a administrative junction There is no court involvement Morrissey v Brewer 1972 and Gagnon v Scarpelli 1973 o Written notice of violation and evidence Morrissey v Brewer o Guaranteed a hearing before any permanent action is taken Gagnon v scarpelli o Established rights for parolees The Changing Nature of Parole Supervision and Services Parole originally designed to make the transition from prison to the community easier o Parole has shifted away from providing services and more onto controlling and monitoring Conducted Study 13 of 22 agencies offered drug detox programs yet all parolees are required to enter a drug program Reasons for lack of assistance o More conditions less time to help ex offenders o Fiscal crisis decrease in programs to help ex offenders PO sat that a lack of adequate