Discretionary parole promises a return to society for people who have transformed themselves in prison; but in practice, this arbitrary, maze-like system traps tens of thousands of mostly Black and Brown people who are eligible for parole and could safely be released.
Why parole reform?
California’s discretionary parole process sends the message that personal transformation matters LESS than race, class, and other factors outside of applicants’ control.
Parole in the News
“This process depends on the subjective opinions of people who, for the most part, have spent their careers locking up people that we, as a society, have been taught to fear.”
The continued incarceration of people who pose no risk to public safety comes at a great social and financial cost to individuals, communities, and the State of California.
