Who gets to go home? Examining the correlates of parole release for the elderly and non-elderly

Abstract

Concerns over state and federal correctional budgets and the motivation to undo decades of mass incarceration have placed the institution of parole under the spotlight. While there is research on the correlates of parole decision-making, there has not been much examination of whether these correlates vary by age group. A critical segment of the incarcerated population is comprised of the elderly. For this reason, we draw on a sample of written parole board decisions from one state from the years 2015 through 2020 to examine whether the correlates of parole decisions vary by candidate’s age at the time of their parole hearings. Our findings demonstrate that age alone does not matter but influences decision-making when accounting for specific covariates. Evidence of rehabilitation remains the strongest indicator of parole release, though there is variation in the type of evidence that matters for the elderly versus the non-elderly. We suggest that with a better understanding of how age is related to decision-making, parole candidates will be able to draw on their age-based capacities to make an effective case for release.