The History and Nature of Parole in the United States

Question 4 • Introduction to Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

How did Zebulon Brockway's use of indeterminate sentences ultimately result in earning the title “Father of American Parole?”

Answer

Brockway, like Maconochie, wrote a book on American prisons, which became a best seller, and so Brockway spent most of the rest of his career giving lectures on prison reform

Brockway was called the “Father of American Parole” by the prison guards in Connecticut because they predicted he would become famous by introducing indeterminate sentences

Brockway was like Maconochie when he introduced work-and-release system, which became popular with his supervisors, but Brockway had much opposition from his peers who did not see the value of reform

Brockway believed in reformation, seeing indeterminate sentences as allowing time for prisoners to lessen their prison time by good behavior and accessing education and trade training

Explanation

Brockway believed prisons should reform people, not simply punish them. Indeterminate sentences gave prisoners an incentive to improve: good behavior and participation in education or job training could help them earn an earlier release through parole. This connection between indeterminate sentencing, rehabilitation, and parole explains why he became known as the “Father of American Parole.”

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