Doctoral Dissertation Research: Regulated, Supervised and Assisted Subjects: Examining How Individuals Navigate Parole

假释是一种涉及国家对重罪罪犯的监管的刑罚，是指从监狱释放后在社区进行监管的一段时间。在加州，这个研究项目的所在地，几乎每个从州立监狱出来的人都要接受假释监督。根据加利福尼亚州的规定，假释有两个目标，一是确保公共安全，二是帮助前囚犯从监狱过渡到社区（即囚犯重返社会）。因此，假释处于两种普遍而相互矛盾的趋势的交叉点：风险管理和康复。理论上，假释的多重目标和要素是协同工作的。虽然监管和改造的双重目标似乎是合理的政策目标，但仔细研究后，它们呈现出多种矛盾和悖论，降低了个人成功完成和释放假释的可能性。本研究探讨了个人对假释的体验和反应，包括假释中的监管、监督和康复制度以及这些制度所产生的矛盾。它还调查了（重新）出现的改造和囚犯重返社会作为中心目标正在重塑假释的方式。具体而言，本研究考察了以下研究问题：(1)假释个体如何感知和制定假释规则/条例？(2)个人如何理解和驾驭假释的监视要求（例如，与特工会面、药物测试和宵禁）？最后，(3)个人如何看待和利用假释的重返社会服务和帮助他们的努力？研究对象包括全加利福尼亚州的假释犯和假释人员（如假释代理人和监事）。收集数据的方法包括：(1)焦点小组，(2)档案/文件分析（例如，审查立法文件、假释培训材料和与假释有关的法庭案件），(3)半结构化访谈，以及(4)参与性观察（即，在一段持续的时间内与个人直接互动和观察）。本研究的结果将有助于更好地理解和理论化假释个人如何回应假释机构的努力，监督和管理他们的行为。最近假释人数增加的同时，假释服务的资金和资源却在减少。与此同时，成功完成假释的人的比例有所下降，撤销假释在入狱人数中所占的比例更大。在这种情况下，从假释犯的角度理解假释是如何发挥作用的，可以为惩教和假释政策提供宝贵的见解，这些政策旨在改善公共安全，减少假释犯的再犯。这项研究有可能为假释如何促进公共安全提供具体的见解，以及加强监管和监督是否有效利用假释资源。

Parole, a type of punishment involving State custody over felony offenders, refers to the period of supervision in the community following release from prison. In California, the site of this research project, virtually everyone coming out of State prison is subject to parole supervision. As framed by the State of California, parole is oriented toward the twin goals of ensuring public safety and aiding former prisoners in the process of transitioning from prison to the community (referred to as prisoner reentry). Thus, parole lies at the intersection of two general and contradictory trends: risk management and rehabilitation. In theory, the multiple goals and elements of parole are designed to work in concert. While the twin goals of regulation and rehabilitation appear as plausible policy objectives, under closer examination they present multiple contradictions and paradoxes that decrease the likelihood that individuals will successfully complete and discharge parole. This research examines how individuals experience and respond to parole, including the regimes of regulation, supervision and rehabilitation within parole and the contradictions these produce. It also investigates the ways in which the (re)emergence of rehabilitation and prisoner reentry as central goals are re-shaping parole. Specifically, this research examines the following research questions: (1) How do individuals on parole perceive and enact the rules/regulations of parole? (2) How do individuals make sense of and navigate the surveillance requirements (e.g, meetings with agents, drug testing, and curfews) of parole? And finally, (3) how do individuals perceive and utilize parole's reentry services and efforts to assist them?Research is conducted with both parolees and parole personnel (e.g., parole agents and supervisors) throughout the State of California. Data are collected through a combination of: (1) focus groups, (2) archival/document analysis (e.g., examining legislative documents, parole training materials, and court cases related to parole), (3) semi-structured interviews, and (4) participant observation (i.e., direct interaction and observation with individuals over a sustained period).The results of this research will contribute to a better understanding and theorizing of how individuals on parole respond to the parole agency's efforts to regulate, supervise and govern their conduct. The recent increase in the population of parolees has coincided with a decrease in funding and resources for parole services. At the same time, the rate of individuals who successfully complete parole has declined and parole revocations account for a greater proportion of prison admissions. Given this situation, an understanding of how parole functions from the perspective of parolees can provide invaluable insights to be incorporated into correctional, as well as parole, policy that seeks to improve public safety and reduce parolee recidivism. This research has the potential of providing concrete insights into how parole contributes to public safety, and if increased regulation and surveillance are effective uses of parole resources.