ABSTRACT
Primarily an American innovation, but with roots in the practices of English and European penal systems, parole is the early release from prison of an offender whose sentence has not expired, on the condition that he or she will exhibit good behavior in the future; the offender’s sentence is not set aside, and his or her behavior is supervised by a parole board. Although some people argue that parole should be abolished, others believe that it gives offenders a chance to demonstrate that they can re-enter society and lead law-abiding, productive lives. This chapter focuses on parole in the United States: what it is, its roots, and how it is granted. In addition, it explores how people’s views of parole have changed over the years, legal challenges raised against parole, and factors influencing parole decisions. Conditions of parole and parole revocation are also discussed, as is the probability of recidivism and what we know from the research.
