Probation is a sentence of imprisonment that is suspended & served while under supervision of the community. Parole is the supervised early released of inmates from correctional facility (Schmalleger, 2018).
Currently there has been a renewed interest in releasing prisoners of prison and placing them on parole. Some advocate groups cite overcrowding or unfair sentencing practices as cause for changes to the parole board decisions. More recently issues regarding Covid19 and the early release of prisoners.
Once again, what about the victims of these crimes. Elizabeth Smart who at the age of 14 was held captive for 9 months and raped throughout her confinement. What does it say when the state of Utah is releasing one of her captors without even notifying her. The victim has the right to address the parole board before these releases and yet many times they find out about it after fact. There are many other incidents of inmates being released without notifying the victims or the families of the loved ones that have been killed. Another fact is that many individuals that are released go out and commit the same type of crimes again.
What are your opinions concerning probation and parole systems today? Do you think they are working properly to ensure the rights of the victims are being considered or is it only the need to lessen the overcrowding that allows these inmates to be released?