Does parole have a future? If it does, can we begin to imagine a different path? Is progressive penal reform possible, or has the time come to consider more radical alternatives in a context where there is little, if any, consensus on the underlying aims and techniques of contemporary prison release? What does this all mean for the prisoners, families, victims and publics upon whose confidence the parole system ultimately depends?

This book brings together a world-leading panel of 27 experts who draw upon insights from law, sociology, criminology and political science to explore these pressing questions. At a time when many parole systems are experiencing considerable strain, the aims of this collection are twofold: first, to encourage systematic and critical reflection on the rationalities, institutions and practices of parole. Second, to think big, and pose ambitious ''what if'' questions about the possible futures of parole and prison release.

Offering novel insights from Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, this collection builds the case for, and then showcases, a ''way of doing'' parole research that is global in outlook, interdisciplinary in approach and unapologetically normative in character.