Women Parolees’ Perceptions of Parole Experiences and Parole Officers

Abstract

During the last decade, the number of individuals reentering communities as parolees has substantially increased as a result of the growth in the U.S. prison population. Consequently, research on prisoner reentry has also increased. The current study, a qualitative analysis using face to face interviews, examines the parole experiences of 60 women parolees in a Southern state. The women parolees served an average of 7.5 years in a state prison and had been on parole 1–5 years prior to the interviews. The in-depth face to face interviews explored women parolees’ narratives of the challenges encountered in monthly parole reporting, perceptions of parole officers, and the strategies used to sustain their freedom in the community. The women parolees’ narratives were used to illustrate their views of themselves and their experiences as parolees. They identified several critical factors in meeting their monthly parole obligations: transportation, monthly supervision fees, urinalysis tests, staying away from drugs, and positive rapport with their assigned parole officer. Women perceived their status as parolees as a way to hold them accountable for daily decisions and life choices.