Write a report of a summary court hearing in a Magistrates' Court.

Essay by kinzokinzo1University, Bachelor's April 2007

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Parole is advantageous to the offender, to the State, and to society as a whole for various reasons.

While some commentators regard parole as an early release optionthat puts the public at unnecessary risk, others argue that parole allowsthe re-integration of offenders into the community and provides betterprospects for rehabilitation. Discuss the pros and cons of parole. Doyou think parole is currently over-utilised or under-utilised in Australia,or do you think the proper balance has been struck?Parole, in criminal law terms, is a "the supervised conditional release of a prisoner before the expiration of his or her sentence." (Griffith University Study Guide, 2007) The word parole is also broadly used to signify a release of an inmate on specific conditions. Parole is usually granted to a prisoner in recognition of past good conduct, prior to imprisonment and or while serving time. If a parolee is in violation of parole they are likely to be apprehended and returned to prison to serve out the maximum prison sentence.

(US Parole Commission website, 2004). Parole is only given if the inmate shows adequate rehabilitation enough for him to be reintegrated back into the society without causing harm or threat to the society. Parole has three main rationales economic, humanitarian, and rehabilitation arguments. In Queensland under the recent amendments to the Corrective services Act prisoners released by the court or parole board will be issued with a parole order. This act has in a way placed certain restrictions on parole and parolees. Parolees must comply with the strict requirements of the parole order or risk returning to jail. Depending upon jurisdiction, parole dates may be recommended by the sentencing judge or magistrate. However, whether or not an offender is released on parole is determined by a parole board (or some similar body) which reviews the...