How does the Australian public view parole? Results from a national survey on public attitudes towards parole and re-entry

Little is known about public understanding of parole and attitudes towards its use. Given recent high-profile parole violations and resulting changes to both the laws and practice governing parole in Australia, this information has become crucial to shaping criminal justice policy. This paper presents results from the first phase of a larger study on Australian public attitudes toward parole practices and re-entry, based on data from a national survey of 1,200 adults. The results show mixed support for parole and parole board decision-making. This article discusses the implications of findings for the role of the public and public opinion in parole policy and decision-making and future research.