Problems and Challenges Facing Probation

An Overview of the Parole System and its Problems Overcrowding in both state and federal prisons has been a major problem facing the corrections system. There have been many ways to try and stop the overcrowding, but it is still a problem to this day. Parole is just one strategy that has helped with this problem. The first actual type of parole was introduced by Alexander Maconochie in 1840. It was a primitive system and the first actual system of parole was introduced in 1846 by Sir Walter Crofton. Crofton had the first system in which parolees would be put back in prison if their parole conditions were violated. Also, Crofton introduced supervision by police officials. These officials proved to be the first actual parole officers. It was not until 1870 that parole was first introduced to the United States. Parole is defined as the, ?release of an offender from a penal or correctional institution, after he has served a portion of his sentence, under the continued custody of the state and under conditions that permit his reincarceration in the event of misbehavior? (p.437 Allen et al). Parole seems like a reasonable and effective way to get prisoners back on the streets, rehabilitated and helping out the community, but parole still faces many challenges and problems. More and more inmates are being let out on parole, but at the same time, parole boards are losing funding. This puts a strain on parole officers and leaves many parolees unsupervised. It is problems like this that lead to parolees ending up back in prison. ?Based on the offense that brought parolees back to prison, these 156,000 offenders committed at least 6,800 murders, 5,500 rapes, 8,800 assaults, and 22,500 robberies, while under supervision in the community an average of 13 months? (p.1 Cohen). These are eye-opening numbers. If parolees end up back in prison, then the system is not working. With such staggering numbers, how is the community protected? How can the system insure that the parolees

Cited: Petersilia, Joan. ?When Prisoners Return to the Community: Political, Economic, and Social Consequences.? Sentencing and Corrections. No. 9. (November 2000). World Wide Web. 20. Nov. 2003. http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/184253.pdf Wiebush, Richard G., Betsie McNulty, and Thao Le. ?Implementation of the Intensive-Community Based Aftercare Program.? Juvenile Justice Bulletin. (July 200). World Wide Web. 20 Nov. 2003. http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/ojjdp/181464.pdf Cohen, Robyn L. ?Probation and Parole Violators in State Prison, 1991.? Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report. (August 1995). World Wide Web. 20 Nov. 2003. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ppvsp91.pdf Allen, Harry E., Clifford E. Simonsen, and Edward J. Latessa. Corrections in America. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2004.