NCJ Number
239251
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 76 Issue: 1 Dated: June 2012 Pages: 19-23
Date Published
June 2012
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Data on parole violations were examined for a sample of 10,912 offenders paroled in Kentucky between July 2002 and December 2004.
Abstract
The study found that 51 percent of the parolees were returned to prison within 5 years due to a technical parole violation; 11.8 percent returned to prison for a new offense, and 37.2 percent remained free in the community for the entire 5-year period. Five variables were statistically significant correlates of a parolee being reincarcerated within 5 years for a parole violation. White offenders were less likely than Black offenders to be returned to prison for a parole violation. Gang members were less likely than non-gang members to have a parole violation leading to reincarceration. As the number of prior incarcerations increased, the likelihood of a return to prison for a parole violation decreased. As the number of institutions in which the parolee was incarcerated increased by one, the likelihood of a return to prison for a parole violation increased by 1.21 times. As the offender's final custody classification at the time of parole increased, the likelihood of a parole violation decreased by 0.16 times. All five of these statistically significant variables for predicting a return to prison for a parole violation are "static" variables, in that they cannot be changed, because they pertain to demographics (race) and past experiences (being a gang member and having been in a number of correctional institutions). The study concludes that Kentucky might benefit from the use of alternative intermediate sanctions for parole technical violations that would keep the parolee in the community rather than return him/her to prison. 2 tables and 26 references