NCJ Number
147365
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1994) Pages: 61-65
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Police records show that many individuals released on parole or probation commit additional crimes, partially due to a lack of communication between police departments and parole and probation agencies responsible for released persons.
Abstract
The number of convicted criminals on parole in the United States increased by 16.3 percent in 1990, and the number placed on probation rose by 5.9 percent. At the end of 1990, 2.6 million adults were on probation and 531,407 were on parole. In the 1980-1990 period, parole and probation counts increased by 139 percent. According to one survey, recidivism ran as high as 70 percent in some police jurisdictions, and 37 percent of respondents felt that supervised release programs generally undermined the criminal justice system. The inability to monitor the large number of individuals on release frustrates many police agencies, although some agencies indicate they can adequately monitor supervised releasees. Most police officials want a system in place to inform them when dangerous subjects are about to be released from prison and located in their communities. In addition, police officials prefer to keep in close touch with parole and probation departments. Police department programs to encourage more effective monitoring of supervised releasees are noted, and the need for a close working relationship between police departments and parole and probation agencies is stressed.