ParoleWatch was a privately-run website started in 1997 that provided public access to data on convicted felons in New York State who were coming up for parole review. The project's aim was to let citizens "communicate their views on would-be parolees to the New York State Parole Board."[1]
"ParoleWatch will not be the first such site" with information on potential parolees, The New York Times reported in April 1997. "For almost a year, the New Jersey State Parole Board has published on the Web a list of inmates eligible for parole. But ParoleWatch might well be the first parole Web site published by a private organization."[2] In an article for the KlaasKids Foundation, ParoleWatch's founder predicted that "Eventually people in every state will be just a few mouse-clicks away from this kind of data."[3]
ParoleWatch was organized by the anti-crime group Take Back New York, and grew out of the group's grass-roots efforts to block the parole of a convicted murderer.[1] The New York State Department of Correctional Services provided the data for ParoleWatch.
The New York Times wrote that the project had "prominent supporters." New York divorce lawyer Raoul Felder served as chairman of ParoleWatch's advisory board, "which also includes several well-known victims' rights advocates."[2]
Felder told The Times "he backed the project because too often victims receive no notification when offenders are up for parole. 'There is a blank spot in the criminal justice system,' Felder said. 'We put these guys away. They get out and the victims usually have no way of knowing when they get out.' ParoleWatch, he said, 'gives them a fair shot.'[2]
According to the New York Post, one effect of ParoleWatch was to turn parole reform into a national issue.[4]
Criticismedit
In his book, The Control Revolution: How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge and Changing the World We Know, Andrew L. Shapiro said that ParoleWatch "demonstrates much of what is possible when it comes to individuals using interactive technology to transform politics—and what might go wrong. ... ParoleWatch does a real public service by giving citizens access to data about violent offenders and their release dates." But it prompted "people to 'take action'...based on a very limited view of each case."[5]
The American Civil Liberties Union had voiced similar criticisms when ParoleWatch was launched. In an interview with Wired, Take Back New York Executive Director Joe Diamond responded to the ACLU's objections by "conced[ing] that Parolewatch 'is not overly concerned with the prisoner's point of view.'"[6]
Shapiro wrote that, as a victims' rights organization, ParoleWatch was "fully entitled to express its views on crime and safety" and that law-and-order advocates have always "had the ability to lobby parole boards." In Shapiro's view, however, there was a danger "in ParoleWatch's sophisticated harnessing of new technology. It uses the pinpoint accuracy of a computer database to match citizens in certain neighborhoods with felons who might be released there, and it relies on the Net's interactivity to give folks a free and easy way to voice their opposition—without having to take time to become well informed, let alone to hear the views of others."
Some of the criticism of ParoleWatch was more tongue-in-cheek. "A better name for the Web site address is www.rotinjail.com," said activist attorney Ron Kuby.[7]
^ abcMendels, Pamela (April 17, 1997). "New York Group Planning to Use Web Site To Notify Public on Felons' Parole Status". The New York Times.
^Diamond, Joe (Winter 1998). (PDF). Klaas Action Review. KlaasKids Foundation. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-16. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
^New York Post editorial board (1997-12-23). "Don't Parole Joel". New York Post.
^Shapiro, Andrew (1999). The Control Revolution: How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge and Changing the World We Know. New York: PublicAffairs. pp. 150–153.
^Richtel, Matt (August 26, 1997). . Wired. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved 2017-04-28.
^Fenner, Austin (February 23, 1998). "Web used to monitor those up for parole". Daily News. New York.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
parolewatch, privately, website, started, 1997, that, provided, public, access, data, convicted, felons, york, state, were, coming, parole, review, project, citizens, communicate, their, views, would, parolees, york, state, parole, board, founded1997url, orgcu. ParoleWatch was a privately run website started in 1997 that provided public access to data on convicted felons in New York State who were coming up for parole review The project s aim was to let citizens communicate their views on would be parolees to the New York State Parole Board 1 ParoleWatchFounded1997URLParoleWatch orgCurrent statusDefunct Contents 1 History 2 Criticism 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory edit ParoleWatch will not be the first such site with information on potential parolees The New York Times reported in April 1997 For almost a year the New Jersey State Parole Board has published on the Web a list of inmates eligible for parole But ParoleWatch might well be the first parole Web site published by a private organization 2 In an article for the KlaasKids Foundation ParoleWatch s founder predicted that Eventually people in every state will be just a few mouse clicks away from this kind of data 3 ParoleWatch was organized by the anti crime group Take Back New York and grew out of the group s grass roots efforts to block the parole of a convicted murderer 1 The New York State Department of Correctional Services provided the data for ParoleWatch The New York Times wrote that the project had prominent supporters New York divorce lawyer Raoul Felder served as chairman of ParoleWatch s advisory board which also includes several well known victims rights advocates 2 Felder told The Times he backed the project because too often victims receive no notification when offenders are up for parole There is a blank spot in the criminal justice system Felder said We put these guys away They get out and the victims usually have no way of knowing when they get out ParoleWatch he said gives them a fair shot 2 According to the New York Post one effect of ParoleWatch was to turn parole reform into a national issue 4 Criticism editIn his book The Control Revolution How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge and Changing the World We Know Andrew L Shapiro said that ParoleWatch demonstrates much of what is possible when it comes to individuals using interactive technology to transform politics and what might go wrong ParoleWatch does a real public service by giving citizens access to data about violent offenders and their release dates But it prompted people to take action based on a very limited view of each case 5 The American Civil Liberties Union had voiced similar criticisms when ParoleWatch was launched In an interview with Wired Take Back New York Executive Director Joe Diamond responded to the ACLU s objections by conced ing that Parolewatch is not overly concerned with the prisoner s point of view 6 Shapiro wrote that as a victims rights organization ParoleWatch was fully entitled to express its views on crime and safety and that law and order advocates have always had the ability to lobby parole boards In Shapiro s view however there was a danger in ParoleWatch s sophisticated harnessing of new technology It uses the pinpoint accuracy of a computer database to match citizens in certain neighborhoods with felons who might be released there and it relies on the Net s interactivity to give folks a free and easy way to voice their opposition without having to take time to become well informed let alone to hear the views of others Some of the criticism of ParoleWatch was more tongue in cheek A better name for the Web site address is www rotinjail com said activist attorney Ron Kuby 7 See also editMegan s LawReferences edit a b Lindsey Daryl December 3 1997 Web Watchers Track Trip Up Parolees Wired Retrieved 2011 01 23 a b c Mendels Pamela April 17 1997 New York Group Planning to Use Web Site To Notify Public on Felons Parole Status The New York Times Diamond Joe Winter 1998 Keeping America s Most Unwanted Behind Bars PDF Klaas Action Review KlaasKids Foundation p 3 Archived from the original PDF on 2010 12 16 Retrieved 2011 01 30 New York Post editorial board 1997 12 23 Don t Parole Joel New York Post Shapiro Andrew 1999 The Control Revolution How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge and Changing the World We Know New York PublicAffairs pp 150 153 Richtel Matt August 26 1997 Scans Scarlet Letters from Cyberspace Wired Archived from the original on November 6 2012 Retrieved 2017 04 28 Fenner Austin February 23 1998 Web used to monitor those up for parole Daily News New York External links editNew York State Department of Correctional Services Inmate Information Search Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ParoleWatch amp oldid 1135378078, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
