Parole, a type of punishment involving State custody over felony offenders, refers to the period of supervision in the community following release from prison. In California, the site of this research project, virtually everyone coming out of State prison is subject to parole supervision. As framed by the State of California, parole is oriented toward the twin goals of ensuring public safety and aiding former prisoners in the process of transitioning from prison to the community (referred to as prisoner reentry). Thus, parole lies at the intersection of two general and contradictory trends: risk management and rehabilitation. In theory, the multiple goals and elements of parole are designed to work in concert. While the twin goals of regulation and rehabilitation appear as plausible policy objectives, under closer examination they present multiple contradictions and paradoxes that decrease the likelihood that individuals will successfully complete and discharge parole.
This research examines how individuals experience and respond to parole, including the regimes of regulation, supervision and rehabilitation within parole and the contradictions these produce. It also investigates the ways in which the (re)emergence of rehabilitation and prisoner reentry as central goals are re-shaping parole. Specifically, this research examines the following research questions: (1) How do individuals on parole perceive and enact the rules/regulations of parole? (2) How do individuals make sense of and navigate the surveillance requirements (e.g, meetings with agents, drug testing, and curfews) of parole? And finally, (3) how do individuals perceive and utilize parole's reentry services and efforts to assist them?
Research is conducted with both parolees and parole personnel (e.g., parole agents and supervisors) throughout the State of California. Data are collected through a combination of: (1) focus groups, (2) archival/document analysis (e.g., examining legislative documents, parole training materials, and court cases related to parole), (3) semi-structured interviews, and (4) participant observation (i.e., direct interaction and observation with individuals over a sustained period).
The results of this research will contribute to a better understanding and theorizing of how individuals on parole respond to the parole agency's efforts to regulate, supervise and govern their conduct. The recent increase in the population of parolees has coincided with a decrease in funding and resources for parole services. At the same time, the rate of individuals who successfully complete parole has declined and parole revocations account for a greater proportion of prison admissions. Given this situation, an understanding of how parole functions from the perspective of parolees can provide invaluable insights to be incorporated into correctional, as well as parole, policy that seeks to improve public safety and reduce parolee recidivism. This research has the potential of providing concrete insights into how parole contributes to public safety, and if increased regulation and surveillance are effective uses of parole resources.
