Parole is the early release of criminals from prison, in most cases as a reward for good behavior. A prisoner can be paroled only after serving part of his or her sentence. Parole is actually a continuation of a sentence away from prison, and paroled prisoners, called parolees, must follow certain rules. For example, they must get a job, support their family, and avoid liquor and other drugs. If the parolees violate any of the rules, or if they commit another crime, they may be sent back to prison.
A parole board decides whether a criminal should be released. In the United States, parole boards are part of most state governments. A board considers such factors as the crime involved, the time already served, and the criminal’s behavior in prison. Parolees are supervised by a parole officer for a certain period, depending on the sentence and the time served.
Parole has several purposes. Some criminal justice officials believe parolees have a better chance of becoming law-abiding citizens than criminals released without supervision. Parole also tries to protect society by preventing offenders from committing new crimes. Parole also costs society less than keeping people in jail.
In the late 1900’s, many criminologists joined in criticizing parole. They believed it did not help prisoners readjust to society. They also thought the main purpose of prison should be to punish criminals, not to reform them. These critics charged that the parole system is unfair because criminals who commit the same crime may not have to spend the same length of time in prison. Some may be paroled sooner than others. By 1980, a number of states had abolished parole and substituted fixed sentences. Under this system, criminals must serve a specific amount of time in prison, depending on their crime. In 1984, Congress passed a law that abolished parole for federal prisoners.
Parole differs from probation. A judge may place a criminal on probation instead of sending him or her to prison. Criminals are paroled only after they have served time in prison. See Probation .
