Introduction
The core mission of the state imposing the probation and parole is to restore public safety through monitoring of adult felons under the jurisdiction of either parole or probation.
PART I
Felony probation is a process of releasing an offender to the community where the state is convinced that the offender will respond well to the reformation process. Those offenders who will be on probation are expected to be reporting to the probation officer, who would be monitoring their progress and behavior and in turn report to the state. Felony probation is practiced in United States to those offenders, who are believed to be non dangerous and non violent when even if they are released to the community. Mostly those offenders who are put under probation are those charged with minor offences. Felony probation has been used in United States as a way of solving the challenge of overcrowding in the jails and prisons. Although probation is imposed with the main aim being to rehabilitate the offenders, it is used more as a necessity than an instrument.
Probation came up due to the tireless efforts of John Augustus who was a philanthropist who believed in behavioral reformation of the offenders. It was preferred because it helped the judicial authorities a superb deal when imposing the sentences, thus giving them an opportunity on reaching sentences for the offenders, and allowing greater chances of rehabilitation. Probation sentences vary depending with the wrong committed by the offenders, but the maximum period of time one can be under monitoring is 5 years. However, felony probation system has faced many criticisms by those arguing that by giving a chance for offenders to go back to the community is a way of the state giving a second chance for the offender to continue with his or her wrong doings.
Probation can be revoked as it is a conditional release. Once the offender under probation violates the conditions governing the release the court can decide to revoke the probation. This revocation is mainly initiated by the probation’s officer belief that a probationer has violated thus need for revocation.
Part II
Parole is a situation where an offender is released fro the jail or prison after serving part of the sentence and is put under supervision. An offender is given this chance if the authority is convinced that he or she, have conformed to the rules and regulations in the prison environment thus, deemed able to conform to the laws and norms of the society. Parole was introduced on the basis of the principles of punishing the offenders for their past and the same time train them for the future as a way of reforming the offenders.
Parole can be revoked due to the fact that, it is a conditional release. Revocation of parole can result in case the parolee violates the conditions governing the release or Incase the parolee commits another crime after being released to the community.
References
Abadinsky, H. (2003). Probation and parole: theory and practice (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Champion, D. J. (1988). Felony probation: problems and prospects. New York: Praeger.
Petersilia, J. (2003). When prisoners come home: parole and prisoner reentry. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
