Probation and Parole: Overworked, misunderstood, under-appreciated—but why

Abstract: Historically, the efficacy of probation and parole policies and practices have been judged by the general public, politicians, and many professional insiders by sensationalised crimes involving individuals sentenced to community supervision. The probation and parole profession has not established mechanisms to clearly articulate its public value; doing so would foster the development of policies and practices that derive more from empirical research evidence and sound theory than political faddism. The failure within the probation and parole profession to come to broad agreement regarding desired outcomes and to establish evidence-based and/or theoretically-sound professional principles has created a policy lacuna that is too often filled by elected officials who lack an understanding of the history, science, and philosophy of probation and parole. Probation and parole agencies should focus on producing publicly-valued results and disseminating easily-understood information that justifies their important niche within America’s criminal justice system. Prison Populations have Burgeoned – AND – so have the Caseloads of Probation and Parol