Profiles in Parole Release and Revocation: Examining the Legal Framework in the United States

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The Profiles in Parole Release and Revocation: Examining the Legal Framework in the United States examine the legal and statutory framework of state and federal parole release decision-making processes. 

The first sections of the profiles offer an overview of the availability of discretionary release, release eligibility requirements, and the release decision process. We then describe the terms and conditions of release to the community, followed by an outline of the consequences of a release violation and the revocation decision process. The final section offers a description of the releasing authority’s composition, duties, and jurisdiction. Prior to publication, we made an effort to seek comments on these reports from the states’ parole community. Each of these drafts has been made more complete due to valuable input from state experts and we are grateful for their time and expertise.

The parole release and revocation profile publications are intended to be descriptive, and do not pass judgment on the various systems under study. However, we hope that these profiles provide resources for policy-makers and practitioners that have never before existed, including the ability to compare parole systems nationwide, examine policies and procedures of other jurisdictions, and facilitate constructive discussions of best and worst practices in prison release, parole supervision, and revocation practices.