PROS AND CONS OF PAROLE

The criminal justice system is a complex network of interlinked forces, institutions and actors. It
includes police, judges, lawyers, prisons, courthouses, jails, halfway houses, drug treatment
facilities and other such entities

The history of community corrections shows that many changes have occurred in the criminal
justice system regarding punishment of offenders. Shortly after the creation of the penitentiary
community, many people came to the view that incarceration was not an appropriate response to
address all offenders. As a response to this concern, community corrections such as probation
and parole were developed and implemented by the criminal justice system .

This research will examine the advantages and disadvantages of parole :

Parole is an early release scheme that is incorporated into many justice systems around the
world. The goal of this scheme is to allow low-risk prisoners a chance to be integrated back into
the community.

ADVANTAGES

It reduces prison and jail populations.

To qualify for parole, prisoners must be classified as low-risk through good behavior.
Releasing them early reduces overpopulation concerns at local facilities while providing
a chance to start a new life.

It reduces taxpayer expenses.

The cost of parole supervision is significantly less than the cost of incarceration. In some
geographic areas, it costs 10 times more to incarcerate someone than to supervise them
while out on parole.
It rewards those who are willing to work for it.
Parole is not handed out to every prisoner. Only those who have earned their way to an
early release are able to take advantage of this system. Those without good behavior are
kept in prison to serve out the length of their terms.

Based on good behavior.

Parole is issued based on good behavior or the parole board's determination that the
convict has been sufficiently reformed to re-enter society.

A chance of new start for criminals.

A parole is the provision of fresh opportunity and the chance to start anew for criminals.

DISADVANTAGES

It allows criminals to start committing crime again.

The biggest disadvantage of parole is that it lets criminals begin their activities sooner
than they would be able to do otherwise. There is always the risk that a released prisoner
will become a repeat offender. About 20% of people on parole return to prison.

It can be difficult to find work on parole.

There are a number of chronic issues which face people on parole. From unemployment
to homelessness, some people may resort to committing a crime just because being in jail
was more comfortable for them.

It can have some people slip through the cracks.

Not everyone likes to live next to someone who is out on parole. There are plenty of
people in the system who are working towards a better life. There is also a prevalent fear
 in many neighborhoods that they might have that one person who gamed the system and
could hurt them one day.

Consequences of frequent involvement by criminal justice system.

Another disadvantage of parole is that it frequently involves the continuation of

involvement by the criminal justice system (at a financial cost to the public and
to the detriment of individual liberty) in the parolee's life, because p arole is often
accompanied by monitoring for a certain period thereafter.

Restrictions and Rules.

Many individuals placed on probation or parole have difficulty adjusting to the
regimented lifestyle that parole or probation restrictions demand. Offenders must be
home at a certain time of night, must attend meetings with parole or probation officers,
and may not engage in certain activities, such as alcohol consumption. This can prove to
be too much for some individuals.

PAROLE HAS BENEFITS,BUT THE PROCESS NEEDS

FIXING

The Department of Justice abandoned parole boards 10 or 20 years ago. Some states like Kansas
have followed suit because parole operations are difficult. In particular, deciding who to grant
parole to and when is problematic.

But parole has two big benefits. First, it can correct sentencing errors in judgment such as giving
life sentences for nonviolent drug offenses or to very young offenders. Second, it offers
supervision and, ideally, support to released prisoners. Most parole officers serve their clients
well, helping them find work, mend family relationships and manage addictions.

In most states, the governor appoints the parole board members and the appointment process is
fraught with politics. In Missouri, for example, five of the seven seats are held by former state
legislators, one by a former warden, and one by an experienced social and civil rights expert who
is the only woman on the panel. There needs to be a mix of members with credentials in
psychology, pastoral experience and community development.

The process of granting parole is secret. In Missouri, deliberations are exempt from the state’s
Sunshine Law. This protects the parole board, but leaves inmates who are denied parole confused
 about how to do better. Parole board members have told me that when a victim or victim’s
family appear at a hearing, they will always deny parole. No inmate can remedy the wrong they
committed; they can only reform their lives.

Here’s point system the Empower Missouri Criminal Justice Task Force developed and offered
to the Missouri Division of Probation and Parole.

 Inmate work: up to 10 points

 Inmate good behavior and lack of violations: up to 10 points
 Inmate participation in programs: up to 10 points
 Inmate home plan: up to 10 points
 Staff recommendations: up to 10 points
 The nature of the crime, expression of remorse, victim testimony: 10 points

Anyone with more than 50 points would receive parole. Anyone with less than 30 points would
not receive parole. Parole board judgments would be made for those receiving between 30 and
50 points. Parole board deliberations and votes would not be published. Nor would inmate
scores. However, inmates would receive their scores.

A point system isn’t a perfect remedy, but it is a step toward fairness and transparency and it
moves a difficult process forward.

PROBATION AND PAROLE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Probation is a way of sending good idea in the mind of offenders. It is probably the first stage of
the correctional scheme. The object of probation is to keep delinquent away from evil
consequences and offer him an opportunity leads socially useful life without violating the law
and as of all methods of treatment is the ultimate rehabilitation of the offender in the community.
On the other hand Parole has emerged as one of the most acceptable form of correctional device
in modern penology. It has been universally recognized as one of the most appropriate methods
of treatment of offenders for their reformation and rehabilitation in the normal society after the
final release. It can be said that parole is the last stage of correctional scheme.
COMPARISON/DISTINCTION BETWEEN PROBATION
AND PAROLE
Probation and parole can be differentiated on the following grounds:-

 Historical Evolution:-
The system of probation owes its origin to John Augustus of Boston (U.S.A.) around
1841 whereas the system of parole came into existence much later somewhere around
1900.

 Punitive Reaction:-
In probation, there is no punitive reaction to the crime. It is purely a treatment of
offender. But in parole, the punitive reaction to the crime is present. Few part of sentence
is served i.e. punitive.

 Nature:-
Probation is judicial in nature whereas parole is quasi-judicial in nature and civilized or
respected members of society constitute Parole Board.

 Sentence:-
In probation, no such formal penalty is imposed, if imposed is not executed. But parole
is granted after serving a part of sentence in prison.

 Substitute for Punishment:-

Probation is granted as a substitute of the punishment. But parole is granted after
completing a part of sentence.

 Punishment and Treatment:-

Probation is only a treatment in which the sentence is suspended. But parole implies both
punishment and treatment.

 Stage:-
Probation is probably the first stage of correctional scheme whereas parole is the last
stage of correctional scheme.
 Stigma or Disqualification:-
No stigma in case of probation because use no sentence whereas a prisoner released on
parole suffers stigmatization as a convicted criminal in the society.

CONCLUSION

It is difficult to define parole in terms of a single precise concept. It is an integral part of

the total correctional process. In a sense parole is a method of selectivity releasing
offenders from institutions, under supervision in the community, whereby the community
is afforded continuing protection while the offender is making his adjustment and
beginning his contribution to society. Parole is granted to a prisoner under certain special
circumstances. It is subjected to certain limitations and conditions imposed by the
releasing authority.
REFERENCES

 Gillin J.L., Criminology and Penology (3rd Ed.) p.339.

 Fogel, D. We Are The Living Proof. : The Justice Model for

Corrections. Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson, 1975.

 Parent, Dale G.; Wentworth, Dan; Burke, Peggy; and Ney, Becki. Responding to
Probation and Parole Violations. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice,
National Institute of Justice, 1992.

 Paranjape N.V. Prof., Criminology and Penology with Victimology, 16th Edition,
Central Law Publications, Allahabad, 2014, p.573.