Compare and Contrast Probation and Parole

¶ … parole and probation encompass the re-integration of convicted criminals within their communities in a supervised, controlled, and humane manner. On their web site, the American Probation and Parole Organization describes probation and parole as "twins," as both programs encourage rehabilitation of offenders and are viable alternatives to imprisonment. Because American prisons are already dangerously overcrowded and increasingly more expensive to run, parole and probation offer financially feasible, effective, and humanitarian options for incarceration. Promoting parole and probation over incarceration is cost-effective and reduces taxpayer responsibility for funding prisons. These programs also increase the efficiency of the already overly burdened criminal justice system by involving community-based and private agencies in the rehabilitation of criminals. In spite of the "tough on crime" climate in America, parole and probation offer a means to prevent crime and promote public safety. Both parole and probation entail court-supervision for convicted criminals who are reintegrated within their communities. This allows for the possibility of rehabilitation rather than simply placing people behind bars to remove them from society.

Parole is defined as the supervised release of inmates prior to full term completion; it applies to offenders who were sentenced in court to serving a prison or jail term. Convicts who demonstrate "good behavior" and who are designated as being eligible for parole may be released from prison early under the supervision of a parole officer. Probation is offered initially an alternative sentence but as with parole, it entails court-supervised release into the community. Their definitions are slightly different but with both programs the offender is permitted to live a productive life within his or her community rather than be placed behind bars. Probation and parole programs provide similar services to the community, to victims, and to the offenders, as imprisonment is not the only means with which to execute justice and the due process of law.

The goals of probation and parole are similar: to prevent crime, offer safety for the victims and community; promote fair justice for both victim and offender, and encourage a shift in ideology away from intolerance to compassion, responsibility, and healthy rehabilitation. Especially in the United States, a country that has the highest percentage of citizens behind bars than any other nation in the world, probation and parole are necessary solutions to high crime rates, recidivism rates, and prison overcrowding (Fauteck).

The extent at which the parolee or probationer is supervised, placed under surveillance, or must report to the officer varies from individual and depends on the prevailing social climate and laws. However, for parole and probation to be fully effective, the level of supervision must be kept at a minimum; otherwise the effectiveness of these programs is called into question (Paparozzi). The American Probation and Parole Organization supports this stance, declaring their intent to intervene in an offender's life "only to the extent necessary."

Because probation and parole permit offenders to live freely in the community, these programs encourage rehabilitation rather than simply ostracizing the individuals in question. These alternatives to imprisonment shift public perception of crime and criminals from being revenge-based to being rehabilitation-based. The prevailing worldview, in light of the fear of crime gripping the United States, is that being "tough on crime" and having "zero tolerance" are the only means by which to reduce our exorbitant crime rates. However, ample evidence supports the efficacy of parole and probation in reducing recidivism, promoting public safety and justice for victims, probationers and parolees (Paparozzi).

Moreover, parole and probation are humanitarian approaches to criminal justice, which often serves only to dehumanize offenders. Parole and probation both address crime as a community-based social issue and encourages the partnership of law enforcement agencies, faith-based organizations, and social service providers. Because human beings are capable of change, parole and probation encourage a realistic, humane outlook on the part of law enforcement, the criminal justice system, and the population at large. The American Probation and Parole Organization's official position on probation is that human beings are capable of change; moreover, probation as a sentence offers due process of law for the offenders at the same time as it protects society and victims from harm.