Parole and the Public: Gender Differences in Public Attitudes Toward the Supervised Release of Offenders

• In Event: Gender and Reentry

Abstract

There are significant gaps in the existing research on the public’s attitudes toward parole. Specifically, researchers have not yet examined whether and how men and women differ in their support for this important criminal justice process. This knowledge is vital given the increasing involvement of women in political, legal, and criminal justice roles and the current uncertainty as to whether the equal participation of women in these roles will affect policies involving prisoner re-entry and reintegration. In order to fill these gaps, the research examines whether men and women in Australia differ in their views on parole and, if so, why this might be the case. The study is based on the analysis of a national survey of public attitudes toward parole in Australia. Findings suggest that women hold significantly less favourable attitudes toward parole than men and, more so than men, desire the harsher punishment of offenders. They also show that women hold less faith in the ability of offenders to redeem themselves and desist from future criminal activity. The findings demonstrate the importance of examining gender differences in public attitudes toward criminal justice policy making.

Author

• Shannon Rebecca Buglar, University of Queensland