PAROLING POLICY FEEDBACK - SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT 8

• NCJ Number: 13243
• Author(s): P B HOFFMAN
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 42 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-NI-99-0017; NI-71-080
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE REPORT OF PROJECT TO PROVIDE A FEEDBACK DEVICE CAPABLE OF MAKING MORE EXPLICIT THE PRESENTLY IMPLICIT POLICIES USED IN MAKING CASE DECISIONS.

Abstract

A FEEDBACK DEVICE MAY ENABLE PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS TO COMPARE ACTUAL POLICIES WITH THOSE DESIRED AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION IF INDICATED, REDUCE DISPARITY IN INDIVIDUAL CASE DECISION-MAKING BY NOTING DECISIONS WHICH APPEAR TO VARY SUBSTANTIALLY FROM USUAL PRACTICE, AND REDUCE THE CRITICISM LEVELED AGAINST THE PAROLE BOARD AS HAVING UNFETTERED DISCRETION. THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DECISION-MAKERS' EVALUATIONS OF FOUR SPECIFIC CASE FACTORS (SEVERITY OF THE OFFENSE, INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, INSTITUTIONAL DISCIPLINE, AND CHANCES OF FAVORABLE PAROLE OUTCOME) AND PAROLING DECISIONS ARE STUDIED. FROM THESE RELATIONSHIPS, A METHOD OF DESCRIBING AND ARTICULATING IMPLICIT PAROLING POLICY IS DEMONSTRATED AND THE RELATIVE WEIGHTS GIVEN TO THE ABOVE FACTORS IN PRACTICE ARE DESCRIBED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)