What determines if an inmate is granted parole?

Answer 1

There are a number of factors and each states determines this in a unique way. One of the biggest deciding factors is the needs of the state, the Department of Corrections, and the individual facilities. This breaks down to basic cost and space. To determine which of the thousands of inmates may be given parole is theoretically a matter of behavior of the potential candidates at that point. Again theoretically, candidates or potential parolees' institutional records are reviewed as well as the cases for which they are serving, and in some states the desires of the any victims and the prosecutors who tried the cases. In reality, the factor of costs remains the only constant. While it can be, and will be argued, many parole boards weigh current censuses of the department, the number of inmates, with the potential of return for those released, and the rate at which they might return. Where the argument enters into it is those who maintain parolees are those who are safest to be released. This is not the case as evidenced by the severe lack of rehabilitative services available to inmates. If there were a desire to release those who would be productive members of society, every effort would be made to make available training and counseling that most inmates need, rather than the cursory efforts that are currently made. Ultimately, it boils down to a decision making process for released inmates; whether they will or won't engage in criminal behavior after they are released that may return them to prison. While many of those locked up are very intelligent, the prison population lacks in any form of education or training which they may use to help them remain free. The undeniable fact is that many only know the lives from which they came, that of the criminal. And, while it is easy for those who have never been convicted to say, "Those should just not break the law," those who would say such seriously lack the empathy necessary to understand the truth. In essence those who would argue such are naive to the truth of the corruption in the system. Ask any previously incarcerated person who has ever been release how easy it is to land back inside. Once a criminal, always a criminal after all.

It boils down to the needs/desires of the state outweighing the requirements of the few or the one. Bureaucracy cares for nothing but the propagation of itself. Once established by the people, for the people, it becomes a parasite that feeds on its own flesh, sacrificing bits of itself only to survive and grow.

Answer 2

Each state has its own parole board, of an organization with that function, which decides on paroles. Sometimes this is just a recommendation to the state governor, sometimes the Board has the final decision.

Answer 3

It is already determined in the sentence. When the sentence expires then the parolee is discharged.