This report examines how the structure and conditions of parole in the United States perpetuate cycles of incarceration, particularly for people experiencing poverty. The author argues that although parole is said to be designed to promote rehabilitation and reintegration, its financial and structural demands –including the payment of fees and other technical violations– often set people up to fail. The paper traces parole’s origins in the rehabilitative model of punishment and explains the shift toward an emphasis on surveillance and control, and concludes that parole, in its current form, undermines its rehabilitative purpose by maintaining conditions that are both punitive and financially unsustainable.
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Key Findings:
- One in four prison admissions is due to a technical violation of community supervision.
- The annual cost of incarcerating people under community supervision for technical violations is approximately $2.8 billion annually.
- Failure to pay legal financial obligations can lead to parole revocation and reincarceration.
Recommendations:
- Restructure parole by reducing financial barriers, promoting economic stability, and creating genuine pathways to reintegration rather than mechanisms for recidivism.