NCJ Number
46089
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 53-61
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RACE OF THE CRIMINAL, VIOLENCE OF THE CRIME, AND LENGTH OF THE PAROLE PERIOD ON THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE PAROLE IS STUDIED FROM FILES OF THE GEORGIA BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES.
Abstract
RECORDS OF 1509 MALE FELONS WERE DRAWN FROM THE FILES SUBJECT TO TWO CONSTRAINTS: (1) ALL RECORDS HAD TO BE COMPLETE TO ELIMINATE ERRORS, AND (2) AN EQUAL NUMBER OF SUCCESSES AND FAILURES HAD TO BE PULLED SO THE SAMPLE WOULD BE BALANCED. PAROLE PERIODS FOR THESE RANDOMLY SELECTED PERSONS RANGED FROM 3 MONTHS TO MORE THAN 2 YEARS; 63 PERCENT HAD COMMITTED NONVIOLENT CRIMES, 58 PERCENT WERE BLACK, AND 53 PERCENT HAD SUCCESSFUL PAROLES. BLACK VIOLENT OFFENDERS OUTNUMBERED WHITE VIOLENT OFFENDERS TWO TO ONE. IT WAS FOUND THAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS HAD GREATER PAROLE SUCCESS FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME, BUT AS THE TRACKING PERIOD EXTENDED THEY WERE NO BETTER RISKS THAN NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS. THE OFFENDER MOST SUBJECT TO IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR WHICH RESULTS IN PAROLE VIOLATION IS THE BLACK VIOLENT OFFENDER. THIS BECOMES MORE OF A FACTOR AS THE TRACKING PERIOD LENGTHENS. INTERESTINGLY, MURDERERS HAD A 16 PERCENT SUCCESS RATE, COMPARED TO A 42 PERCENT SUCCESS RATE FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF ROBBERY, 65 PERCENT FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER, 68 PERCENT FOR SEXUAL OFFENDERS, AND 70 PERCENT FOR ASSAULT OFFENDERS. HIGHEST SUCCESS RATES WERE MORE 80 PERCENT FOR DRUG OFFENSES, ARSON, AND DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. RACE WAS INSIGNIFICANT IN DETERMINING PAROLE OUTCOME, EXCEPT FOR THE IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR NOTED FOR THE BLACK VIOLENT OFFENDER. SEVERAL EARLIER STUDIES WHICH REPORTED THAT VIOLENT CRIMINALS HAD BETTER OUTCOMES THAN NONVIOLENT ARE CITED. THIS STUDY FINDS THAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS DO INDEED ADJUST TO PAROLE CONTRAINTS OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS THEY HAVE EITHER AN EQUAL OR A MUCH LOWER SUCCESS RATE. (GLR)