Home Work Criminal Science

Student Identification Number AC1503104

Course Number and Title Introduction to Criminal Justice

Assignment 8_08 Part B

Date 07/10/2015

1. Briefly describe mandatory release and good-time release.

Mandatory release is the release of prisoners required by law after they have served the entire length of their maximum sentence. Good-Time release is A variant of parole is known as "time off for good behavior", or, colloquially, "good time". Unlike the traditional form of parole – which may be granted or denied at the discretion of a parole board – time off for good behavior is automatic absent a certain number (or gravity) of infractions committed by a convict while incarcerated (in most jurisdictions the released inmate is placed under the supervision of a parole officer for a certain amount of time after being so released). In some cases "good time" can reduce the original sentence by as much as one-third. It is usually not made available to inmates serving life sentences, as there is no release date that can be moved up.

2. Describe one (1) way inmates receive/apply good-time credit to their release.

Parole is a privilege, not a right, and any prisoners are refused parole when they first apply. Parole boards expect to hear a prisoner admit responsibility for his crimes. They also expect that the prisoner will take advantage of the programs made available in prison, such as, if appropriate, GED programs, Alcoholics Anonymous, and vocational training. They will also look at the prisoner's conduct during incarceration, and whether the prisoner has been cited for misconduct. (Typically, prisoners will be "ticketed" for their violations of prison rules, with offenses classified as "major" or "minor." A prisoner who was involved in a fight would likely be ticketed for a "major" offense, while a prisoner who yelled at a guard might be ticketed for a "minor" offense, depending on the circumstances. These "tickets" can be challenged through administrative hearings, but are usually upheld as valid.) They may also look at the prisoner's age, the amount of time he has served, the remaining time in his sentence, and his mental health. The exact criteria for parole vary from state to state.

Perhaps the most important assessment that the parole board attempts to assess is the likelihood that the prisoner will re-offend. Parole boards have no interest in releasing people into society who will commit more crimes, particularly given that the media will sometimes hold the parole board as responsible as the criminal in such cases. Increasingly, potentially dangerous offenders, such as sex offenders, are finding that they are never granted parole, even in states where they are eligible.

Some prisoners are not eligible for parole, either because of state policy, or because of the crime they committed. Some crimes carry a flat term of years, which must be completed without the possibility of parole. A defendant who is sentenced to "life" in prison will either be sentenced to "parolable life," or to "non-parolable life." If a person serving a "life" term is eligible for parole, he typically must serve fifteen or twenty years of his sentence before he can request parole. If a person is serving non-parolable life, he never becomes eligible for parole.

3. Is this process is beneficial to the criminal justice system as a whole? Provide one (1) supporting fact to justify your position.

Before being granted the privilege of parole, the inmate meets with members of the parole board and is interviewed, The parolee also has a psychological exam. The inmate must first agree to abide by the conditions of parole set by the paroling authority. While in prison, the inmate signs a parole certificate or contract. On this contract are the conditions that the inmate must follow. These conditions usually require the parolee to meet regularly with his or her parole officer or community corrections agent, who assesses the behavior and adjustment of the parolee and determines whether the parolee is violating any of his or her terms of release (typically these include being at home during certain hours which is called a curfew, maintaining steady employment, not absconding, refraining from illicit drug use and sometimes, abstaining from alcohol), attend drug or alcohol counseling, have no contact with their victim. The inmate gives an address which is verified by parole officers as valid before inmate is released on to parole supervision.

4. Do you think inmates should be able to earn good-time release? Provide one (1) supporting fact to justify your position.

Release into the community may occur in stages. First, as the criminal nears his release date, he may be moved into less secure prison facilities. If he abuses the privileges at the less secure prison, he will be returned to a more secure facility. Prisoners in less secure facilities are sometimes allowed to work outside of the prison, either through a state program or sometimes through a private employer. If the prisoner continues to behave well, he may eventually qualify for placement in a half-way house, a residential facility where he can have a job, and may even qualify for day or weekend passes where he is free to do what he wants. If a prisoner successfully completes a term in a half-way house, he is usually paroled into the community.