“I’ve Had Cases That Have Gone in the Wrong Direction and That Has Affected Me”: A Qualitative Examination of Decision Making, Liminality, and the Emotional Aspects of Parole Work

Parole officers are central actors in the penal system as their decisions can affect the timing of a person’s release from prison and also restrict or enable their freedoms in the community upon release. Existing research on parole examines how parole officers think about and govern ex-prisoners via techniques of surveillance, regulation, and support. Few studies, however, provide qualitative insight into how parole officers experience their …