PROMISES, PERFORMANCE, AND PRINCIPLES - AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF PAROLE DECISIONMAKING IN CONNECTICUT

• NCJ Number: 44498
• Journal: Connecticut Law Review Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (SPRING 1977) Pages: 347-423
• Author(s): H R SACKS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 77 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Connecticut; University of Connecticut Research Foundation; University of Connecticut Law School Foundation, Inc
• Corporate Author: University of Connecticut Law School
• Sale Source: University of Connecticut Law School
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

RESULTS ARE REPORTED OF A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CONNECTICUT BOARD OF PAROLE'S DECISIONS DURING A 5-MONTH PERIOD IN 1974 WERE EQUITABLE AND CONFORMED TO THE BOARD'S OWN STANDARDS.

Abstract

DATA ON 226 CASES OF ADULT MALE OFFENDERS WHICH WERE HEARD BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE OF 1974 WERE ANALYZED IN RELATION TO FACTORS CONSIDERED IN RELEASE DECISIONS BY THE BOARD: PRIOR CRIMINAL AND PAROLE RECORD; INSTITUTIONAL ADJUSTMENT; PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS; AND ADEQUACY OF PAROLE PLANS. WHEN THESE FACTORS WERE DIVIDED INTO 21 SUBSTANDARDS AND FURTHER ANALYZED, IT WAS FOUND THAT, FOR 9 OF THE SUBSTANDARDS, BOARD PERFORMANCE WAS RATED UNSATISFACTORY OR UNCERTAIN. TWENTY-THREE PERCENT OF VARIATION IN BOARD DECISIONS COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED UNDER BOARD STANDARDS. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING BOARD CONFORMITY TO BOARD STANDARDS INCLUDE: REVISING THE STANDARDS TO AGREE WITH ACTUAL PRACTICE; CLASSING STANDARDS INTO THOSE OF MAJOR AND MINOR IMPORTANCE; SUPPLYING INMATES AND BOARD MEMBERS WITH COPIES OF THE REVISED STANDARDS; AND UNDERTAKING FURTHER STATISTICAL STUDIES TO MONITOR BOARD PERFORMANCE. THE STUDY ALSO INCLUDED A FOLLOWUP OF THE 128 OFFENDERS WHO WERE RELEASED TO PAROLE, IN WHICH FACTORS THAT PREDICTED SUCCESS OR FAILURE WERE IDENTIFIED. (NINETY-TWO, OR 72 PERCENT, WERE CONSIDERED 'SUCCESSES' AND THIRTY-SIX, OR 28 PERCENT, WERE CONSIDERED 'FAILURES.') THE BENEFITS OF USING STATISTICAL METHODS FOR PREDICTING OUTCOME WERE SHOWN TO BE SUBSTANTIAL; IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD DEVELOP STATISTICAL PREDICTORS AND CONSIDER IMMEDIATELY USING THE MOST RELIABLE OF THE PREDICTORS -- DENIAL OF PAROLE AT LAST HEARING. OTHER CHANGES IN BOARD ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES SUGGESTED ON THE BASIS OF THE STUDY INCLUDE: PERMITTING COUNSEL AT BOARD HEARINGS; CREATING A BETTER METHOD OF SELECTING BOARD MEMBERS; GIVING INMATES LIMITED ACCESS TO THEIR FILES PRIOR TO PAROLE HEARINGS; TRAINING BOARD MEMBERS MORE INTENSIVELY; OPENING PAROLE HEARINGS TO THE PUBLIC; AND CREATING A SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING PRECEDENTS. TABLES PRESENT SUPPORTING STATISTICS.