New Offenses, Not Supervision Violations, Filling Prisons - Crime
The article discusses a new research study that challenges the idea that supervisory punishments, such as parole and probation, are a primary driver of mass incarceration in the United States. The study found that people in prison for parole and probation violations alone make up only about 11-14% of the prison population and that the largest percentage of the prison population consists of people incarcerated for new offenses, regardless of whether they were on probation or parole. The authors of the study suggest that reducing sentence length for new offenses would be a more effective way to address mass incarceration.
This article connects to sociology by examining the role of the criminal justice system in shaping social outcomes, particularly in relation to issues of inequality and social control. It highlights the importance of understanding how policies and practices related to parole and probation can impact the lives of those who are caught up in the system and how these policies can perpetuate inequalities.
Yes, the article is based on an actual sociological study titled "Are Supervision Violations Filling Prisons? The Role of Probation, Parole, and New Offenses in Driving Mass Incarceration" by Michelle S. Phelps, H. N. Dickens, and De Andre’ T. Beadle, which was published in the journal Socius in 2023.
The study challenges the conventional understanding of supervisory punishments as a primary driver of mass incarceration and suggests that reducing sentence length for new offenses would be a more effective approach to addressing this issue. The study also highlights the impact of incarceration for parole and probation violations on individuals and communities, even if it is not the primary driver of mass incarceration.