NCJ Number
195591
Journal
Homicide Studies Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2002 Pages: 167-178
Date Published
May 2002
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Drawing on a survey of parole board chairpersons in 45 of 50 States (90-percent response rate) and the District of Columbia conducted between October 1997 and March 1998, this study focused on the availability and ease of access of information to the public concerning the parole of murderers.
Abstract
The parole board chairpersons were asked to provide information on parole decisions for each of three categories of murder: capital murderers (when applicable) not sentenced to death; first-degree or next most serious level of murderers; and second-degree (or less serious level) murderers, excluding persons imprisoned for manslaughter. Respondents were further asked whether the information requested in the survey was kept as part of the parole board's information system, whether the board compiled such information or statistics for agency purposes, and whether they published such information in an annual or other official report of the parole board. The survey found that the record-keeping systems of parole boards generally contain information that makes it possible to distinguish between prisoners convicted of various types of murder; however, the official publications and reports released by parole boards do not generally distinguish among categories of murder in reporting parole information. These parole-board publications virtually never provide information on parole decisions regarding capital murderers not sentenced to death. In view of the demonstrated tendency of the public to underestimate the length of time served in prison by capital murderers not sentenced to death and the demonstrated effect of this misperception on the capital sentencing process, State parole boards should publish data on parole decisions regarding such offenders in addition to and separate from that of other categories of persons convicted of murder. At a minimum, these data should include the number of prisoners considered for parole, the number of paroles granted and denied, the median and mean time served in prison on the murder charge for those granted and denied parole, and the median and mean number of previous parole applications denied for those granted and denied parole. The parole boards' records of time served and grant or denial of parole at last hearing will be sufficient for an unbiased estimate. 3 tables, appended survey questionnaire, and 12 references