Mechanisms Of Probation And Parole

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The punishment mechanisms of Probation and Parole grew from historically divergent origins. Briefly outline those different origins and discuss the ways in which their original purposes have evolved.

Probation and parole both originated to provide a second chance to certain convicted offenders. They aimed to reduce the exposure of redeemable offenders to incarceration and determine their ability to rehabilitate and live within society without recidivism (MacKenzie 2002; GOOGLE BOOK). Parole refers to the supervised conditional release of an offender from incarceration prior to the end of their sentence (Parole 2016). Parole is a privilege that offenders must earn through good behaviour exhibited while incarcerated. Convicts are only eligible
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Both shared the original purpose of rehabilitating persons into society and saving them from a life of derelict. They both shared the goal of behavioural reform (Parole 2016). The concept of rehabilitation was also the driving philosophy behind the progressive movement which dominated correctional practices during the 1960’s.
The biological form of rehabilitation within the progressive movement differed to the moral and religious rehabilitation under which both parole and probation were founded. This new rehabilitation emerged along with societies distance from religion in favour of science. It focuses on the goal of ‘fixing’ individuals as opposed to morally redeeming a person. The progressive movement led to the adoption of the medical model with criminality seen as a curable disease found in individuals. Presentencing investigations became a diagnosis based on the offender’s symptoms. After diagnosis the treatment was decided by means of sentencing. Probation officers and parole boards were charged with ensuring the treatment was effective and offenders cured. Probation officers assumed the responsibility for changing offenders and therefore curing them. Parole boards determined when an offender was cured and therefore ready to
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It and emerged in the 1980’s and resulted in many jurisdictions in the US eliminating indeterminate sentences. Flat-sentencing was reinstated and sentencing guidelines were developed recommending appropriate sentences to judges based on the severity of the crime committed and any past convictions (MacKenzie, 2002). Those states where parole remained passed laws that required offenders to serve a minimum of 85% of their maximum sentencing period before being eligible. Prior to the justice model most offenders served just over half their maximum sentence. This resulted in a significant inflation of prison populations and the associated

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