Parole is a key mechanism for supporting reintegration after imprisonment, encouraging people in prison to engage with rehabilitative programs and demonstrate readiness for release. In all Australian states and territories, parole boards decide whether to grant conditional release, yet individuals can also influence outcomes by choosing not to apply for parole or by waiving their hearing. Evidence from Australia and internationally shows that many eligible people forgo parole, leading to unconditional release at sentence completion – an outcome that can increase risks of reoffending and reintegration difficulties. Despite these implications, little is known about the reasons behind this decision.
This presentation reports findings from in-depth qualitative interviews with people in prison in Queensland, Australia who have chosen not to seek parole, as well as correctional staff. The study pays particular attention to the experiences of First Nations people and individuals with intellectual disability, who are overrepresented in prisons and face distinctive re-entry challenges. Our findings reveal the individual and systemic factors shaping decisions to waive parole and provide critical insights to inform policy and practice reforms that improve equitable access to parole, strengthen reintegration, and enhance public confidence in conditional release.
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Dr Shannon Dodd
Senior Lecturer, Australian Catholic University, Australia
Dr Shannon Dodd is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Australian Catholic University. Her research examines Australia’s correctional system, including body-worn cameras in custody, people with disability in prison, public attitudes to parole, and punitive trends in bail and parole. She currently leads a project funded by the Australian Institute of Criminology on parole waivers, investigating why some people forgo parole opportunities and remain incarcerated until their sentence expires. In 2023, she received the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology's 'Early Career Award'.
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Professor Lorana Bartels
Professor, Australian National University, Australia
Lorana Bartels is a Professor of Criminology at the Australian National University and Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Canberra and University of Tasmania. She is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and board director of the Justice Reform Initiative and ConFit Pathways. She has published five books, 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and numerous government consultancy reports. Her research focuses include the courts, corrections, and criminal justice responses to women, Indigenous people, young people, and people with disability.
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Dr Caitlin Davey
Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia
Dr Caitlin Davey is an Indigenous Early Career Researcher and Lecturer in Criminology at Griffith University. Her research focuses on the Australian criminal justice system through an Indigenous lens, including systemic failures leading to wrongful convictions and understanding the causal impact of bail and remand decisions on life outcomes for people involved in the correctional system. With professional experience in prisons and community corrections, Caitlin brings applied insight to her research by grounding theoretical inquiry in the realities of frontline practice. Her firsthand understanding of institutional processes, staff-prisoner dynamics, and the challenge of rehabilitation informs her critical analysis of justice system failures.
