Parole is one of the least visible decision-making processes in the criminal justice system. We consider decision statements that support or reject release as symbolic of organizational concerns beyond the candidate’s individual attributes. To draw out the symbolic, we focus on decision statements issued to 33 juvenile lifers previously ineligible for parole. We find that what is meaningful to a parole board is highly selective, and there is no generalized presumption of mitigated culpability and capacity for rehabilitation. Rather release is justified based on childhood abuse, peer dependency and a redemptive self. In contrast, denying narratives selectively highlight the seriousness of the sentencing offence by focusing on the ‘horrific,’ and the retributive requirement for more time to be served.

中文翻译：

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现在有假释的可能性：使未成年人能够进行有意义的审查

假释是刑事司法系统中最不显眼的决策过程之一。我们将支持或拒绝发布的决策声明视为超出候选人个人属性的组织问题的象征。为了引出象征意义，我们重点关注向 33 名以前没有资格获得假释的未成年人发布的决定声明。我们发现对假释委员会有意义的事情是高度选择性的，并且没有普遍的假设可以减轻罪责和康复能力。相反，基于童年虐待、同伴依赖和救赎自我，释放是合理的。相比之下，否认叙述通过关注“可怕的”和对更多时间服刑的报复性要求，选择性地突出了量刑罪行的严重性。