NCJ Number
65168
Journal
Journal of Offender Counseling, Services and Rehabilitation Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1979) Pages: 153-161
Date Published
1979
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TRENDS IN PAROLE AS A SOCIAL INSTITUTION AND IN PAROLE SUPERVISION AS A CLINICAL PROCESS ARE IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED.
Abstract
TRENDS IN PAROLE CURRENTLY DISCERNIBLE ON THE BASIS OF RECENT RESEARCH AND ARE SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY. WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE, PAROLE IS LIKELY TO BECOME MORE AVAILABLE TO FIRST OFFENDERS AND REPETITIVE OFFENDERS WHOSE CRIMES WERE NOT AGAINST PERSONS AND/OR DID NOT INVOLVE VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS TO OFFENDERS WHOSE CRIMES DO NOT GENERALLY AROUSE FEAR IN THE CITIZENRY (NOTABLY 'VICTIMLESS' CRIMES). EXPERIMENTS WITH 'INSTANT' PAROLE AND WITH 'SHOCK' PAROLE AFTER RELATIVELY SHORT PERIODS OF INCARCERATIONS ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE. PAROLE IS LIKELY TO BE GRANTED MORE DISCERNINGLY, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE OFFENDERS FOR WHOM POSITIVE OUTCOMES CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED ON THE BASIS OF 'CLINICAL' JUDGMENTS IMPROVED BY THE USE OF 'ACTUARIAL' PREDICTIONS. THE EXISTENCE OF A SUPPORTIVE, STABLE CONTEXT INTO WHICH THE POTENTIAL PAROLEE MAY BE RELEASED WILL BE FURTHER EMPHASIZED IN THE PAROLE DECISION PROCESS. THE PROFESSIONAL POLICE OFFICER'S ROLE IS LIKELY TO SHIFT FROM DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY TO CLIENTS TO SUPERVISION OF DIRECT SERVICES PROVIDED BY PARAPROFESSIONAL PAROLE AIDES, MANY OF WHOM WILL BE EX-OFFENDERS. PAROLE SUPERVISION CLINCIAL PROCESSES ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE FROM THE LARGELY UNPRODUCTIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY METHODS TO INTERVENTIONS THAT DEAL WITH THE EXTERNAL REALITY PROBLEMS OF PAROLEES. THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE WILL BE RECOGNIZED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)