Today, we would like to share some educational pieces addressing the need for parole reform in the U.S., the opportunity for second chances, and recognizing the barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals upon returning to their communities. Check out the Montana Innocence Project’s summer reading list below:
1. “Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change” by Ben Austen
Within Ben Austen’s book “Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change,” he delves into a behind-the-scenes look at the parole system, and the possibility for our criminal legal system to move away from mass incarceration. The story is told through a non-fiction portrait of two men incarcerated for murder convictions, with their freedom at the hands of the parole board’s life altering decision. The book provides a compelling look at how we might change the process of giving people second chances and re-envision a system that supports rehabilitation.
2. “Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration” by Reuben Miller
“Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration,” provides an informed perspective of Reuben Miller’s experience as the son and brother of incarcerated men. The book seeks to capture the stories of formerly incarcerated individuals facing barriers to accessing basic human needs such as housing, education, employment, and healthcare. Miller effectively details how the post-release system in America has created and imposed real, serious harm on people trying to rebuild their lives.
3. “Mass Supervision: Probation, Parole, and the Illusion of Safety and Freedom” by Vincent Schiraldi
In “Mass Supervision: Probation, Parole, and the Illusion of Safety and Freedom,” Schiraldi successfully details in-depth research and data showing that the probation and parole system in America fail to provide either diversion from incarceration or rehabilitation resources. Through the accounts of several returning citizens, a history of the origins of probation and parole, and his own experience as a former Probation Commissioner of New York City, he is able to persuasively argue that the probation and parole systems failed to achieve their goals in reducing incarceration and enhancing public safety.