NCJ Number
52567
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
CURRENT PROPOSALS TO ABOLISH THE PAROLE SYSTEM ARE APPRAISED THROUGH A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
Abstract
IT IS HELD THAT A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ORIGINS OF THE AFTERCARE SYSTEM LEADS TO THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS: (1) AFTERCARE SERVICES REFLECT IN MICROCOSM THE VARIOUS GOALS AND CROSS-PURPOSES WHICH INFORM THE SYSTEM OF PRISONS AND IMPRISONMENT; (2) THE AFTERCARE SYSTEM, WHILE BASICALLY SUPPORTIVE OF SOCIETAL GOALS REGARDING IMPRISONMENT, HAS AT THE SAME TIME STOOD IN OPPOSITION TO THE INADEQUACIES OF THE PRISON SYSTEM; (3) A SUBTLE TENSION HAS ALWAYS EXISTED BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL FORCES WITHIN THE AFTERCARE FIELD; AND (3) PAROLE HAS INCREASINGLY BECOME THE FOCAL POINT OF THE AFTERCARE NETWORK SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS OVER A CENTURY AGO. THE LATTER CONCLUSION IS BOLSTERED BY AN EXAMINATION OF THE FINDINGS OF A STUDY IN PHILADELPHIA WHICH QUERIED THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY'S AFTERCARE NETWORK (BOTH GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL) ABOUT THEIR FAMILIARITY WITH AND USE OF EACH OF THE OTHER AGENCIES. FROM RESPONSES GIVEN, DISTANCE SCORES WERE CALCULATED MEASURING THE PROFESSIONAL DISTANCE FROM EACH ORGANIZATION TO ALL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THE PAROLE NETWORK WAS PERCEIVED AS LYING AT THE CENTER OF THE AFTERCARE SYSTEM. CITING SOME STUDIES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PAROLE SERVICES, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PAROLE SYSTEM AS MEASURED BY RATES OF RECIDIVISM IS QUESTIONED. IT IS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE ABOLITION OF PAROLE WOULD PLACE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING AFTERCARE SERVICES ENTIRELY ON PRIVATE AGENCIES DEALING WITH VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE NEEDS OF EX-OFFENDERS. THIS IS PRECISELY THE SITUATION THAT PREVAILED PRIOR TO GOVERNMENTAL ESTABLISHMENT OF A PAROLE SYSTEM. (RCB)