NCJ Number
55687
Date Published
1978
Length
110 pages
Annotation
FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF EXISTING PAROLE PRACTICES, BOTH IN CALIFORNIA AND ELSEWHERE AROUND THE NATION, A MODEL SENTENCING FRAMEWORK IS PRESENTED IN WHICH THE FUNCTION AND TIMING OF PAROLE WOULD BE EXPLICITLY MANDATED.
Abstract
THE MODEL WAS DEVELOPED BY A COMMITTEE OF CORRECTIONAL WORKERS, ADMINISTRATORS, RESEARCHERS, AND ACADEMICIANS WHO REVIEWED THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN CORRECTIONS, DETAILED CONTEMPORARY PAROLE OPERATIONS, IDENTIFIED THE BASIC GOALS OF CORRECTIONS AND PAROLE, AND ASSESSED NUMEROUS WORKING EXAMPLES OF SENTENCING PRACTICE. IN ADDITION TO SUMMARIZING THE COMMITTEE'S FINDING REGARDING THE ORIGINS OF PAROLE, ISSUES AND TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY PAROLE PRACTICE, KEY ASPECTS OF A WORKABLE PAROLE SYSTEM, AND EXISTING SENTENCING MODELS, THIS REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMBINED THRUST OF REINTEGRATION AND PROTECTION BE THE FOCUS OF FUTURE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERVENTION. FOR REINTEGRATION PURPOSES, A SENTENCE WOULD SPAN 0-2, 3, OR 5 YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIME. THIS MODE OF SENTENCING WOULD BE APPLIED FOR ALL EXCEPT ABHORRENT, REPETITIVE, VIOLENT, OR ORGANIZED CRIMES. MOST OFFENDERS, IT IS ASSUMED, ARE NONVIOLENT AND, WHEN PRISON IS NECESSARY, CAN BENEFIT FROM A PRISON TERM THAT SERVES PRIMARILY TO EXPRESS SOCIAL DISAPPROVAL. FOR THE PURPOSES OF REINTEGRATION, A SUPERVISED PAROLE PERIOD WOULD FOLLOW, WITH REVOCATION OF PAROLE STATUS AND A RETURN TO PRISON IMPOSED IN THE WAKE OF ANY SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION. THE PROTECTION FACET OF THE MODEL, WHICH WOULD CARRY A SENTENCE OF 1 YEAR TO LIFE, WOULD APPLY PRIMARILY TO VIOLENT AND HABITUAL OFFENDERS. IT ENCOMPASSES ALL THE TREATMENT ASPECTS OF THE REINTEGRATION FOCUS BUT EMPHASIZES SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. THREE STATE CASE STUDIES AND A 3-YEAR MODEL EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KBL)