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Parole Is Not A Sentence

Decent Essays

Parole is the conditional early release of a prisoner back into the community under the supervision of correctional authorities until the end of the full term of their sentence. When a sentence is handed down to an offender, they are given a non-parole period which they must serve first before being eligible to be released or apply to be released on parole. Parole is not a reduced sentence, it is a part of the sentence where the offender can be conditionally released back into the community under supervision (Evans, 2013). This essay will look at both the advantages and disadvantages of offenders serving the remainder of their sentences while integrating back into the community under supervision, and finally discuss the use of parole in Australia and whether this approach to corrections is under or over utilised.
There are two types of parole; court ordered parole and board ordered parole. Court ordered parole is applicable if the offender is sentenced to a period of imprisonment of three years or less; at the time of sentencing the court will set a date when the offender can be released on parole. Board ordered parole is applicable if the court sets a date for the offender to be eligible to apply for parole; it is then up to the parole board to make the decision whether the offender will be released on parole (Queensland Government, 2012). Parole boards will consider each offender and case individually, and assess factors such as the nature of the offence for which

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