Evaluation and Prediction in Expert Parole Decisions

Past research on parole decisionmaking has supported three generalizations: first, parole decisions are based on a combination of evaluations of prior conduct and predictions of future conduct: second, the balance between evaluative and predictive aspects depends on the perceived role of the parole decision in the criminal justice system and on the personal ideologies of individual decision makers; and, third, evaluations and predictions are based on attributions regarding the causes of criminal behavior that can be likened to clinical diagnoses in that they classify, explain, predict, and suggest control strategies.