Is It Safe to Parole Inmates without Jobs?

Abstract

Despite traditional opposition to paroling inmates who do not have jobs waiting for them, the New York State Board of Parole put into effect, early in 1959, a policy of releasing selected in mates on the reasonable assurance of their obtaining jobs shortly after release. Thousands of selected inmates have since been so released. The 7,405 inmates released on parole in a nineteen- month period were divided into groups according to types of re lease programs. Delinquency rates were determined for the three largest groups-parolees released to jobs developed by themselves, those released on "reasonable assurance," and those released to jobs developed by parole employment officers. Pa rolees released to jobs developed by themselves had a delin quency rate that was significantly lower than the delinquency rates for the two other groups. Those released on "reasonable assurance" had a delinquency rate which was significantly lower than that of parolees released to jobs developed by parole em ployment officers. The "reasonable assurance" policy was found to be a relatively safe way of releasing inmates to parole super vision.