Probation and Parole: Community Supervision in the time of COVID-19

• In Event: Reintegration Gatekeepers in Parole and Probation Systems

Abstract

COVID-19 made immediate and long-lasting changes to social institutions, including the criminal legal system. While some attention has been drawn to those who were incarcerated during the pandemic, less focus has been given to those under community supervision, like parole and probation. This study aims to understand how disasters reveal the challenges that typically exist for those involved with the criminal legal system, with special attention on the policies that guide community supervision. This mixed methodology design examines the experiences of those under supervision using qualitative interviews and content analysis, specifically statements, public declarations, and other documentation stored and archived by state correctional agencies and departments. In addition, it explores the nuances and unclear policies that have slowly been rolled back or have been inconsistent in enforcement across federal districts and state lines. Analyzing current federal district regulations for those on probation and parole, many differences exist across states in what is required under supervision, contributing to the difficulty of a national standard in supervision protocol and, thus, widely varied experiences. In conjunction, probation and parole violation admissions show how COVID-19 reinforced further inequity in the system.

Authors

• Felicia Henry, American University

• Danielle Midgyett, University of Delaware