NCJ Number
49856
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1973) Pages: 41-45
Date Published
1973
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A METHOD FOR ACCURATELY DETERMINING THE PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLES PAROLED IS DESCRIBED, AND A STUDY IS MADE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFENDERS PAROLED AND TYPE OF OFFENSE AND SENTENCE LENGTH.
Abstract
IT IS ARGUED THAT THE POPULAR METHOD OF DETERMINING THE PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLES PAROLED OUT OF THE NUMBER CONSIDERED IN A GIVEN YEAR DOES NOT PRESENT AN ACCURATE FIGURE. BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE CONSIDERED FOR PAROLE IN A GIVEN YEAR HAVE LONG TERM SENTENCES THAT PROVIDE FOR MULTIPLE PAROLE REVIEWS FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AN OFFENDER NOT PAROLED IN A GIVEN YEAR MAY BE PAROLED IN A SUBSEQUENT YEAR. IT IS PROPOSED, THEREFORE, THAT AN ACCURATE MEASURE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLE OFFENDERS PAROLED WOULD EXAMINE A SAMPLE OF OFFENDERS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO A GIVEN TIME PERIOD TO DETERMINE WHAT PERCENTAGE HAD BEEN GRANTED PAROLE IN THE COURSE OF THEIR SENTENCE. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THE TRADITIONAL METHOD OF EXAMINING PAROLES FOR A GIVEN YEAR WOULD NEVER SHOW A PERCENTAGE HIGHER THAN 30; BUT THE SUGGESTED METHOD WOULD PROBABLY INDICATE A PAROLE PERCENTAGE NEAR 40. AN EXAMINATION OF PAROLES GRANTED ACCORDING TO TYPE OF OFFENSE SHOWED A HIGH PAROLING RATE FOR PERSONS GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER AND A RELATIVELY LOW RATE FOR BURGLARS AND 'OTHERS.' A STUDY OF THE RELATION BETWEEN PAROLES GRANTED REVEALED THAT PAROLEES SERVING THE LONGEST SENTENCES HAD ONLY A SHORT PERIOD OF PAROLE COMPARED TO THOSE SERVING SHORT TERMS. THIS TENDS TO DISCOUNT THE POPULAR VIEW THAT LONG TERM PRISONERS ARE RELEASED AFTER SERVING ONLY A SHORT TIME IN PRISON. THE SUBJECTS STUDIED WERE THOSE DISCHARGED FROM PRISON FROM JANUARY TO JUNE 1971 WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE -- A SAMPLE OF 3,828. DATA FROM THE STUDY ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)