“We were stressed and unappreciated … left blinded.”

Over the past three months, seven staff members from the Massachusetts Parole Board have come to this reporter with harsh critiques of the agency. They are quoted throughout this article.

The Commonwealth has a seven-member Parole Board that decides who is or is not fit to earn parole—an opportunity for prisoners to complete their sentences in the community, under supervision. In addition to the board, there is an entire agency which supports the work of releasing prisoners. This agency is charged with assisting those in prisons and houses of correction who seek parole, and it employs parole officers (POs) inside institutions who help prisoners apply, as well as POs outside of institutions who supervise those released on parole, plus a number of others who support or oversee such operations.

The official description of parole officers’ duties includes but is not limited to: providing guidance for those who seek parole; making recommendations relating to parole eligibility; arranging for mental health, medical, and other services; developing treatment plans; analyzing risks; facilitating re-entry; supervising activities; and liasoning with law enforcement personnel. Some POs supervise others, and depending on their rank, all are expected to have several years of education and training.

Both current and former parole agency employees interviewed for this article said that since Gloriann Moroney became Parole Board chair...

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