Parole on Probation: Parole Decision-Making, Public Opinion and Public Confidence

Description

This book explores key issues in relation to parole and public opinion, including the relevance of public opinion to parole boards decision-making and strategies for increasing public confidence in parole. It presents the findings of semi-structured interviews with 80 members of parole authorities in 12 jurisdictions, across Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Scotland. Unlike judicial processes, which are open to the public, there is little awareness of and research on the work of parole authorities. This book therefore shines a light on a little-understood, but hotly-contested, aspect of the criminal justice system. Specifically, it explores differences across the study jurisdictions and considers how parole authorities in the four study countries view public attitudes, as well as the role of the media in shaping public attitudes towards parole. The book also considers whether public reaction matters for parole board decision-making and the interplay between informing the public and offender reintegration. It explores a range of strategies which may improve public confidence in parole and therefore the criminal justice system more broadly. This includes consideration of the value, definition and possibility of public confidence. The authors then discuss both passive forms, such as parole authority websites, publication of decisions and social media, before examining active forms of engagement, including an information/liaison officer, roadshows and community fora. Acknowledgements Contents List of Tables 1 Parole: An Uncertain Institution Introduction: Parole Populism in Perilous Times Public Confidence, Parole, and the Public A Short History of Parole: From Rehabilitation to Risk Public Attitudes Towards Parole Do Public Attitudes Matter to Parole Authorities? The Current Study References 2 The Practicalities of Parole Board Decision-Making Boards and Structures Membership Jurisdiction The Nature of Parole Board Decision-Making Workload Participant Views on Board Structures and Decision-Making The Value of Diverse Board Composition On the Papers Versus Face-To-Face: Boards’ Engagement with the Offender The Benefits of Structured Decision-Making Views on Legal Factors Affecting Decision-Making The Offence, Criminal History, and the ‘Harm Factor’ Time Inside and the Value of ‘Change’ Release, Support, and Conditions: ‘The Viability of the Plan’ Community Safety: The Paramount Consideration Balancing Risk and Scrutiny in Decision-Making Grappling with Risk Assessment and Tools Views on Extra-Legal Factors Affecting Decision-Making Balancing Emotions and Professional Judgement The Volume of Work and Information Flow Conclusion References 3 Public Opinion and Parole Board Decision-Making What Do We Know About the Impact of Perceived Public Opinion on Parole Decision-Making? How Do Parole Authorities View Public Attitudes? ‘The Poorly Informed and Arguably Rabid Public’ Parole Is Uniquely Challenging for Members of the Public to Understand Parole Boards Are ‘Easily Blamed’ Public Emotion Controlling the Story: The Role of the Media in Shaping Public Attitudes Does Public Reaction Matter for Parole Board Decision-Making? The Relevance of Public Opinion to Parole Decision-Making The Direction of Influence: Communicating Decisions Back to the Public ‘Could We Be Reviewed?’ The Interplay Between Informing the Public and Offender Reintegration Conclusion References 4 Parole Boards, Public Confidence, and the Public The Importance of Public Confidence Perspectives on Building Public Confidence Strategies for Building Public Confidence Websites Public Hearings and Publication of Parole Board Determinations Communications/Liaison Officers ‘Roadshows’, Talks, and Stakeholder Engagement Forums/Deliberative Community Events Social Media: The Future of Public Interaction? ‘Edutainment’ Media: Podcasts, Interactive Media, and Documentaries Conclusion References 5 Engaging with an Emotional Public in a Precarious Time Observations Concluding Comments: The Way Forward References Index