Legitimacy of parole as a consequence of policy shock: The lived experiences of incarcerated persons during the parole moratorium in Pennsylvania, U.S.

This study examines the consequences of a policy shock to the criminal legal system through the prisms of the lived experiences of incarcerated persons. The study draws on a qualitative analysis of 159 unsolicited letters from incarcerated individuals in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections written during the 2008–2009 Moratorium on prison releases. The results indicate that the moratorium eroded their trust and exacerbated an already existing crisis in procedural justice and legitimacy for discretionary parole, underscoring both direct and collateral consequences of this policy shock on the lived experiences of those most directly affected. Several policy implications emerge that can help improve or restore procedural justice and legitimacy of discretionary parole and corrections, more generally.