INFORMATION SELECTION AND USE IN PAROLE DECISION-MAKING - SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT 5

• NCJ Number: 13240
• Author(s): L T WILKINS; D M GOTTFREDSON
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 81 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-NI-99-0017; NI-71-080
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TWO STUDIES ON WAYS IN WHICH INFORMATION IS SELECTED AND USED IN PAROLE DECISION-MAKING.

Abstract

IN THE FIRST AN INFORMATION BOARD OF ITEMS USED IN THE DECISION PROCESS WAS CONSTRUCTED, AND DECISIONS BASED UPON DATA FROM THE BOARD WERE MADE BY RESEARCH CLERKS IN THE CORRECTIONAL FIELD, GRADUATE STUDENTS IN CRIMINOLOGY, AND STAFF OF THE UNITED STATES BOARD OF PAROLE. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THOSE WHO TEND TO OPPOSE PAROLE BASE THEIR DECISIONS ON THE RETRIBUTIVE OR DETERRENT EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT, WHEREAS THOSE WHO TEND TO FAVOR PAROLE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN THE OFFENDER'S ABILITY TO 'MAKE IT' IN THE STREETS. THE SECOND STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO ELICIT MATERIAL ABOUT GROUPS OF DECISION-MAKERS, PATTERNS OF SEARCH FOR INFORMATION TO ASSIST THEM, THEIR RATIONALE FOR ACQUIRING PARTICULAR TYPES OF INFORMATION AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THE SEARCH SEQUENCE, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GIVEN SETS OF INFORMATION, CHOICE OF DISPOSITION, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE CORRECTNESS OF THE CHOICE. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT ONLY INFORMATION ON OFFENSE, AGE, AND ALCOHOL HISTORY WAS REQUESTED BY ALL GROUPS. MOST PARTICIPANTS VOICED A PREFERENCE FOR A STARTING ARRAY OF MATERIAL, SUCH AS A SUMMARY SHEET, FROM WHICH TO INITIATE THEIR REVIEW.