Revisiting Parole Decision Making Testing for the Punitive Hypothesis in a Large U.S. Jurisdiction
15 Sep 2016-International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology (SAGE Publications)-Vol. 62, Iss: 5, pp 1357-1383
TL;DR: The results indicate that the amount of time served in relation to the original punishment does not predict parole decisions but the nature of the original offense does.
Abstract: The decision to grant conditional release from prison (aka the parole decision) has been largely neglected in the contemporary criminological literature, despite its critical implications. The current study, conducted in Pennsylvania, United States, tests for punitive themes in parole decision making by examining the impact of several measures reflective of punishment satisfaction on the decision to grant release to eligible parole candidates. The results indicate that the amount of time served in relation to the original punishment does not predict parole decisions but the nature of the original offense does. Moreover, inmates eligible for parole have to experience at least one parole denial to increase their chances of release, suggesting that parole decision makers use the parole process as a punitive means. The implications of the findings are discussed.
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TL;DR: Governing through crime: How the War on Crime Transformed American Democracy and Created a Culture of FearCriminal Justice Theory, Volume 26, 2019 as mentioned in this paper, Section 5.1.
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TL;DR: Refugee Children: Towards the Next Horizon as discussed by the authors is a rich and sophisticated resource for scholars and practitioners interested in the experience of forced migrants in general and refugee youth in particular.
Abstract: refugee children, Watters’ book provides more generally significant insights into a wide array of issues relevant to contemporary refugees. Rather than concentrating on those who receive refugee status from host societies, Watters asserts “the focus of this book is not restricted to legal and administrative definitions of refugee children, but instead accords with what Zolberg has referred to as a ‘sociological’ definition ‘grounded in observable social realities’” (p. 2). In addition, Watters draws extensively from contemporary theorists of inequality, exclusion and domination—Michel Foucault, Aihwa Ong, Pierre Bourdieu, Homi Bhabha, Liisa Malkki among them—to create a refined appreciation of the ways that states and bureaucracies affect refugees’ understandings of themselves, their social position and their ability to act in their own interest. Refugee Children is based upon the analysis of refugees in several (mostly European) countries of settlement, including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and especially the U.K., which according to the author is regarded by many stateless persons as the most desirable point of settlement. In addition, the book examines populations originating from and travelling through multiple world regions. Drawing from his own research as well as his reviews of journalistic and academic literature, Watters gives readers numerous first-hand accounts of the settings, interactions and assistance programs that refugee youth encounter. The author carefully attends to the origins of refugees, considering their history, religion and cultural background. Based on this, he questions both the assimilationist approach to refugee resettlement that would compel recent arrivals into the acceptance of host society practices in order to facilitate access to jobs and health care, as well as multicultural models that see refugees as inextricably immersed in the cultural and religious patterns of their country of origin, and as such, fundamentally unlike persons native to the host society. Championing neither, he regards both as paternalistic and potentially limiting to refugee children’s ability to make choices based upon their own outlooks, goals and understandings. In a like manner, Watters assesses models of resettlement in terms of their allocation of resources. He critiques both tight-fisted programs that fail to provide minimal levels of support as well as therapeutic regimes that assume all forced migrants to be deeply wounded and as such, in immediate need of culturally alien and sometimes unwanted rehabilitation. Despite its impressive scholarship, Refugee Children: Towards the Next Horizon is not simply an exercise in academic analysis. Rather, it offers valuable information with many practical examples drawn from successful programs devoted to refugee youth. If there is one downside to this book, it is that the volume is so rich in theories, examples, case studies, suggestions for practice and evaluations of the political and ethical implications of various approaches to working with young refugees, that readers may become overwhelmed. Its scholarly exuberance notwithstanding, Refugee Children: Towards the Next Horizon is a thought-provoking and sophisticated resource for scholars and practitioners interested in the experience of forced migrants in general and refugee youth in particular. The book does an impressive job of filling the conceptual, contextual and theoretical gaps that have, until recently, limited the breadth and quality of research on forced migrants.
393 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Clear and Frost as mentioned in this paper argue that crime rates, media attention to victimization, high political priority, an emerging, large pool of unemployed young black men that came to symbolize an urban 'enemy' in which to wage 'wars' against, and a political economy that emphasized get-tough politics propelled the prison population and extended the reach of the correctional system starting in the 1970s.
Abstract: THE PUNISHMENT IMPERATIVE: THE RISE AND FAILURE OF MASS INCARCERATION IN AMERICA Todd R. Clear and Natasha A. Frost (2014). New York: New York University Press. pp 258 (hdbk) 19.99 [pounds sterling]. ISBN 978-0-8147-1719-6 Clear and Frost introduce their book by defining what the 'Punishment Imperative' (PI) is, and how the 'grand social experiment' of mass incarceration has shaped the course of the American criminal justice system over the past several decades: '[T]he Punishment Imperative began with the co-alignment of an array of forces that came together to make the explosive growth in the penal system a social and political possibility.' The authors argue that rising crime rates, media attention to victimization, high political priority, an emerging, large pool of unemployed young black men that came to symbolize an urban 'enemy' in which to wage 'wars' against, and a political economy that emphasized get-tough politics propelled the prison population and extended the reach of the correctional system starting in the 1970s. The book's timeliness allows the analysis of this storyline to be advanced by proposing that 2009 marked a shift in the mass incarceration trajectory, as prison numbers began to meaningfully drop for the first time in years, which, they contend, signifies the fall of the Punishment Imperative. (12) The authors support this (somewhat tentative) claim by arguing that the dominant driver for the reduction of dependence and overuse of prisons is the present economic crisis, though it is more complex than simple austerity: 'So while the current fiscal crisis is a motivating factor for the downsizing of the correctional system, it is not by itself the cause. The de-escalation of punishment is possible mainly because the sentiment of punitiveness has undergone an important shift (11).' This book, then, is about the rise, failure, and fall of the Punishment Imperative. Because of that, it is an interesting read for established academics, practitioners, and students alike. The first several chapters present a thorough and well-researched navigation through the development and growth of the Punishment Imperative. To begin, the historical context which laid the groundwork for the turn in public and political punitiveness in the 1970s is outlined. This introduction leads to a sophisticated examination of the PI as a 'grand social experiment', in which the authors argue that the PI as a social and political experiment is particularly insidious because 'the goal was never articulated, the full array of consequences was never considered, and the momentum built even as the forces driving the policy shifts diminished' (57). This is a persuasive section, specifically because it addresses broader moral concerns about the impact of such wide-reaching, yet often racially targeted, state-sanctioned controls on community and social justice: 'concern about crime became shorthand for a broader concern about what many perceived as the general breakdown of order' (60), in which race became a foundation for punishment (62). Chapter four provides a comprehensive and engaging analysis of the policies that preceded the Punishment Imperative (namely the 1967 Crime Commission report), those that contributed to the amplification and potency of the PI, and the apparent sea change in rhetoric and reform that is now taking place. …
114 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied how parole boards make decisions by applying a number of factors, and they identified factors that are important, but little is known about how parole boar...
Abstract: Parole boards have discretion to make prison release decisions by applying a number of factors. While prior research has identified factors that are important, little is known about how parole boar...
19 citations
Cites background from "Revisiting Parole Decision Making T..."
...Parole is designed as a means to motivate individuals to change (Vilcia, 2018)....
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TL;DR: Insight is provided into an understudied area of justice decision making, suggesting that despite the stigmatization of mental illness among criminal justice populations, parole board members in Pennsylvania, United States appear to follow official guidelines rather than to consider more subjective notions that poor mental health should negate parole release.
Abstract: Parole decision—the decision to release an incarcerated individual from prison conditionally—is one of the most critical decisions across justice systems around the world. The decision carries with it significant consequences: for the freedom of the individual awaiting release (the parolee); for the safety of the community in which they will return; and for the correctional system overall, especially its organizational capacity. The current study attempts to add to the parole decision-making literature by specifically analyzing the role that mental health factors may play in explaining parole decisions. Research to date is inconclusive on whether or not mental illness is a risk factor for criminal behavior; despite this, individuals with mental health problems generally fare worse on risk assessment tools employed in justice decisions. The study relies on a 1000+ representative sample of parole-eligible individuals in Pennsylvania, United States. To increase reliability, the analyses test for several mental health factors based on information from different sources (i.e., self-reported mental health history; risk assessment tool employed by the Parole Board; and risk assessment tool employed by the Department of Corrections). To address validity concerns, the study controls for other potential correlates of parole decisions. Although the multivariate models explained a considerable amount of variance in parole decisions, the inclusion of mental health variables added relatively little to model fit. The results provide insights into an understudied area of justice decision making, suggesting that despite the stigmatization of mental illness among criminal justice populations, parole board members in Pennsylvania, United States, appear to follow official guidelines rather than to consider more subjective notions that poor mental health should negate parole release.
11 citations
References
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TL;DR: Applied Logistic Regression, Third Edition provides an easily accessible introduction to the logistic regression model and highlights the power of this model by examining the relationship between a dichotomous outcome and a set of covariables.
Abstract: \"A new edition of the definitive guide to logistic regression modeling for health science and other applicationsThis thoroughly expanded Third Edition provides an easily accessible introduction to the logistic regression (LR) model and highlights the power of this model by examining the relationship between a dichotomous outcome and a set of covariables. Applied Logistic Regression, Third Edition emphasizes applications in the health sciences and handpicks topics that best suit the use of modern statistical software. The book provides readers with state-of-the-art techniques for building, interpreting, and assessing the performance of LR models. New and updated features include: A chapter on the analysis of correlated outcome data. A wealth of additional material for topics ranging from Bayesian methods to assessing model fit Rich data sets from real-world studies that demonstrate each method under discussion. Detailed examples and interpretation of the presented results as well as exercises throughout Applied Logistic Regression, Third Edition is a must-have guide for professionals and researchers who need to model nominal or ordinal scaled outcome variables in public health, medicine, and the social sciences as well as a wide range of other fields and disciplines\"--
30,190 citations
"Revisiting Parole Decision Making T..." refers methods in this paper
...Given the dichotomous nature of the outcome, this step relied on multivariate modeling through logistic regression techniques (Hosmer & Lemeshow, 2002)....
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...Although this goodness-of-fit measure has limitations (see Hosmer & Lemeshow, 2002), it can be useful when comparing analyses and predictive models based on the same sample....
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Book•
01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: The mass incarceration of a disproportionate number of black men amounts to a devastating system of racial control in the UK as much as in the US as mentioned in this paper, despite the triumphant dismantling of the Jim Crow laws, the system that once forced African-Americans into a segregated second-class citizenship still haunts and the criminal justice system still unfairly targets black men.
Abstract: In a bold and innovative argument, a rising legal star shows readers how the mass incarceration of a disproportionate number of black men amounts to a devastating system of racial control. This is a terrifying reality that exists in the UK as much as in the US. Despite the triumphant dismantling of the Jim Crow laws, the system that once forced African-Americans into a segregated second-class citizenship still haunts and the criminal justice system still unfairly targets black men and deprives an entire segment of the population of their basic rights.
4,913 citations
"Revisiting Parole Decision Making T..." refers background in this paper
...…to punishment has been widely documented—and considered the leading cause of the mass incarceration crisis afflicting U.S. correctional systems and local communities (Alexander, 2010; Clear, 2007; Clear & Frost, 2013; Feeley & Simon, 1992; Garland, 2001; Petersilia, 2003; Useem & Piehl, 2008)....
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...correctional systems and local communities (Alexander, 2010; Clear, 2007; Clear & Frost, 2013; Feeley & Simon, 1992; Garland, 2001; Petersilia, 2003; Useem & Piehl, 2008)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that an important new language of penology is emerging, which shifts focus away from the traditional concerns of the criminal law and criminology, which have focused on the individual, and redirects it to actuarial consideration of aggregates.
Abstract: The new penology argues that an important new language of penology is emerging. This new language, which has its counterparts in other areas of the law as well, shifts focus away from the traditional concerns of the criminal law and criminology, which have focused on the individual, and redirects it to actuarial consideration of aggregates. This shift has a number of important implications: It facilitates development of a vision or model of a new type of criminal process that embraces increased reliance on imprisonment and that merges concerns for surveillance and custody, that shifts away from a concern with punishing individuals to managing aggregates of dangerous groups, and that affects the training and practice of criminologists.
1,938 citations
"Revisiting Parole Decision Making T..." refers background or result in this paper
...…to punishment has been widely documented—and considered the leading cause of the mass incarceration crisis afflicting U.S. correctional systems and local communities (Alexander, 2010; Clear, 2007; Clear & Frost, 2013; Feeley & Simon, 1992; Garland, 2001; Petersilia, 2003; Useem & Piehl, 2008)....
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...This is consistent with what Simon (1993) identified as the prevailing narrative of parole since the 1970s (the risk-management model), and more broadly with the literature on the new penology governing crime (Feeley & Simon, 1992; Garland, 2001; Robinson & McNeill, 2015; Simon, 2007)....
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...Regarding parole, the adoption of mandatory releases and the growing recognition of the risk-management approach to correctional supervision reflect the incapacitation focus of the “new penology” (Feeley & Simon, 1992)....
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Book•
01 Jan 2003
TL;DR: In this paper, a profile of returning prisoners is presented, along with a discussion of the changing nature of Parole Supervision and Services, and the role of the victim's role in prisoner reentry.
Abstract: Preface 1. Introduction and Overview 2. Who's Coming Home? A Profile of Returning Prisoners 3. The Origins and Evolution of Modern Parole 4. The Changing Nature of Parole Supervision and Services 5. How We Help: Preparing Inmates for Release 6. How We Hinder: Legal and Practical Barriers to Reintegration 7. Revolving Door Justice: Inmate Release and Recidivism 8. The Victim's Role in Prisoner Reentry 9. What to Do? Reforming Parole and Reentry Practices 10. Conclusions: When Punitive Policies Backfire Afterword
1,520 citations
"Revisiting Parole Decision Making T..." refers background in this paper
...…to punishment has been widely documented—and considered the leading cause of the mass incarceration crisis afflicting U.S. correctional systems and local communities (Alexander, 2010; Clear, 2007; Clear & Frost, 2013; Feeley & Simon, 1992; Garland, 2001; Petersilia, 2003; Useem & Piehl, 2008)....
[...]
...correctional systems and local communities (Alexander, 2010; Clear, 2007; Clear & Frost, 2013; Feeley & Simon, 1992; Garland, 2001; Petersilia, 2003; Useem & Piehl, 2008)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a "focal concerns" theory of judicial decision making to frame hypotheses regarding the effects on sentencing of these social statuses, both singly and in combination.
Abstract: Prior theory and research on sentencing oversimplify the role of race, gender and age in judicial decision making. In this article we present a “focal concerns” theory of judicial decision making to frame hypotheses regarding the effects on sentencing of these social statuses, both singly and in combination. Analyzing statewide sentencing outcomes in Pennsylvania for 1989–1992, we find that, net of controls: (1) young black males are sentenced more harshly than any other group, (2) race is most influential in the sentencing of younger rather than older males, (3) the influence of offender's age on sentencing is greater among males than females, and (4) the main effects of race, gender, and age are more modest compared to the very large differences in sentencing outcomes across certain age-race-gender combinations. These findings demonstrate the importance of considering the joint effects of race, gender, and age on sentencing, and of using interactive rather than additive models.
1,362 citations