Analysis shows that Black parole board members improve outcomes for Black prisoners, suggesting implications for criminal justice reforms.
Parole is a major part of a prisoner’s interaction with the criminal justice system, and is linked to long-run prisoner outcomes. Using data from the state of Georgia, we explore the link between parole board racial composition and prisoner outcomes. We find that a higher proportion of Black members on the parole board is associated with better parole outcomes for Black prisoners. Further, we document that the Black–White gap in parole violation rates, conditional on measures of parole success, closes when the parole board gains a Black member. Our findings suggest that more lenient parole decisions combined with greater parole supervision could explain the reductions in recidivism.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Godfrey et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: