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Parole

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One of today's most hotly debated topics in the criminal justice field is whether or not individual states should abandon the parole system. Many people feel it is time to do away with parole, while others are fighting for its survival. As with any controversial change, there are pros and cons to both sides of the argument, all of which are very convincing. The basic arguments for and against the abolition of the parole system at the state level can be easily defined.

One of the strongest arguments against the destruction of the parole system is the overpopulation problem in most prisons. Since the early 1980's, the population of inmates in correctional institutions has grown astronomically. Between 1986 and 1991, prisons have seen a 41% increase in the population of violent crime offenders. For drug related offenses, the number has increased three-fold. So it would make sense to argue that eliminating parole would make this problem even worse, right? Well, not exactly. Inmate populations are so extreme, that prisoners are sitting on waiting lists. When an inmate is released from prison, the vacant spot is filled instantaneously. In this respect, the parole system is actually doing nothing to fix the overpopulation problem, and increasing operating costs. This was illustrated when between 1976 and 1984, 10 states passed new laws that included the abolition of parole. Only one state, Indiana, had an increase in inmate population. In fact, Minnesota and Washington State both had major reductions in their prisoner populations. The remaining 7 states showed no changes in their inmate population.

The next step in evaluating parole might be to inquire into how the system affects the inmates. Just what effect does parole have on the success of released inmates? Unfortunately, most studies show that it is negative impact. A Bureau of Prisoners (BOP) follow-up

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