A Frame Analysis of Probation and Parole Officer Attitudes and Perceptions of Reentrants

The excessive rates of incarceration and recidivism in the United States reflect a corrections system largely failing to successfully supervise and transition a growing number of ex-offenders released into the community on probation or parole . Research has identified probation and parole officers as significant factors for reentry success, and has examined the role that they play in the reentry process. This thesis uses frame analysis to explore the question of how community correctional officers form attitudes and opinions of their reentering clients and how those perceptions constrain their supervisory decisions. My research presents an analysis of the primary frames that probation and parole officers use when discussing their clients and when explaining their role in the corrections system.