Parole Success 
It should again come as no surprise as to the effectiveness of parole, considering how many of the other 
community-based sanctions are operating. Successful parole completion rates hover around 50%, given a 
particular year. In the Hughes et al. (2001) article just mentioned, successful completion was roughly 42% 
in 1999. The same issues for failure that are found in probation completion are found in parole completion, 
to include: revocation failures, new charges, absconding, and other infractions. This lower than expected 
success rate has prompted many critics to argue parole. It is suggested that we are being too lenient on 
some while keeping lower-level inmates in prison too long. It is also argued that we are releasing dangerous 
individuals out into the community. Whatever the criticisms are, it is certain that we are bound to use parole 
as a function of release, even if it is only on paper. For example, California has a concept called non-revocable 
parole. The basic premise of this is: as long as you do not violate your terms of parole, your parole will be 
solely on paper, with no parole office check-ins. Additionally, no one will come out to your dwelling to 
monitor you. Effectively, this version of parole is not enforceable, hence why it is considered as parole on 
paper only. But, the questions around parole still remain. What are we to do with the hundreds of thousands 
of offenders we let out of prison each year? Do they need more assistance than a bus ticket back to their 
county of residence? How should we be doing parole in the United States? A more modern term for parole is 
called re-entry. The next section covers current issues within corrections, to include what we do for inmates 
who are re-entering society. 
ALISON S. BURKE, DAVID CARTER, BRIAN FEDOREK, TIFFANY MOREY, LORE RUTZ-BURRI, AND SHANELL
SANCHEZ
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