NCJ Number
54770
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1973) Pages: 46-55
Date Published
1973
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE WORK OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL PAROLE BOARD DURING ITS FIRST 4 YEARS IS REVIEWED.
Abstract
THE REVIEW COVERS THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS RELEASED BY THE BOARD SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1968, THE CRITERIA USED IN REACHING PAROLE DECISIONS, PROCEDURES FOR DECIDING WHETHER TO GRANT PAROLE TO INMATES SERVING LIFE SENTENCES, AND PROBLEMS IN OBTAINING POLICE RECORDS FOR USE IN PAROLE DECISIONMAKING. SCOTLAND'S EXPERIENCE WITH PAROLE SUPERVISION AND AFTERCARE SERVICES IS DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO PROBLEMS THAT AROSE WHEN NEWLY CREATED LOCAL SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENTS ABSORBED ALL OF THE DUTIES PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED BY THE PROBATION SERVICE. THE BOARD'S PROBLEM WITH YOUNG ADULT OFFENDERS, WHOSE SOMEWHAT CONFUSING STATUS HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF MAKING THEM RESENTFUL OF PAROLE SUPERVISION, IS NOTED, AS IS A STUDY OF INMATES WHO REFUSED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PAROLE. THE STUDY FOUND THAT MOST INMATES WHO REFUSED TO BE CONSIDERED DID SO HAVING CONCLUDED THAT, BECAUSE OF THEIR RECORDS, THEY WOULD NOT BE GRANTED PAROLE. ALTHOUGH THIS CONCLUSION APPEARED TO BE A RATIONAL ONE IN MOST CASES, THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE THAT INMATES MISUNDERSTOOD THE PAROLE PROCESS OR WRONGLY BELIEVED THAT PAROLE WAS AVAILABLE ONLY FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF INMATES. THE NEED FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION AMONG AND EDUCATION OF ALL THOSE WHO TAKE PART IN SCOTLAND'S PAROLE SYSTEM, INCLUDING INMATES AND PRISON STAFF, IS EMPHASIZED. (LKM)