ABSTRACT
Parole has been used in the United States for a long time and is based on the philosophy that some prisoners are sufficiently rehabilitated so they can safely be released to the community. While that is an ideal, parole in many states is, in reality, used as a form of prison population management. Many inmates are released not because they have been rehabilitated, but because of limited prison space. The prac - tice has led to such a level of concern that in some states parole has been completely abolished, in some cases under the guise of “truth in sentencing.” Many aspects of parole have drawn criticism. Among them are the criteria for release and insufficient supervision.
