The parole system allows inmates to be released under certain conditions and supervision. The parole board reviews the inmate’s case, behavior, and plans for after release. Victims and the public may comment. Not all jurisdictions offer parole, and denied inmates may appeal.
During a parole hearing, the people responsible for deciding whether an inmate should be released on parole, typically called a parole committee, will hear information about the original crime and receive additional information about the inmate’s current status and ability to function in society. In many cases, victims, witnesses, and other interested parties, along with the general public, may be invited to comment on the proceedings and to offer their views on an offender’s suitability for probation. Once this information is submitted, the Probation Board will decide whether the offender should be granted probation. When an inmate is granted parole, the parole board may also use the parole hearing to determine the conditions under which the inmate must spend his parole.
The parole system is designed to relieve the prison system of the burden of caring for inmates who have demonstrated they can function responsibly outside the prison system. Inmates who have served a portion of their sentence can apply to be paroled or released into society, under certain conditions and under the supervision of a probation officer. In many cases, an inmate must first complete a written application for parole. After your application is received by the agency that manages the correctional institutions, you will be scheduled for a parole hearing. At the hearing, the parole board will review the inmate’s case and give the inmate a chance to speak on his or her behalf.
In addition to reviewing the inmate’s records and allowing the inmate to speak for themselves, the parole hearing usually includes an opportunity for board members to ask questions of the inmate about his or her crime, prison behavior, and about his plans to support himself after his release. In some cases, letters from friends, family, and others will be read, and other parties may testify for or against granting the convict parole. The decision for or against parole may be made during the parole hearing or at a later date, depending on local laws.
In the United States, not all jurisdictions offer parole to inmates, and even in areas that do, parole committees or boards may not meet in person, but may instead receive an inmate’s application for parole, as well as documentation relating to his crime his potential for rehabilitation for private review. The parole board can then separately present its views to the chairman of the board. In cases where an inmate’s parole application is denied, the inmate may have the right to appeal the board’s decision.
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