Parolees and Parole Board Members

[Kerry]

The recidivism rate for parolees in Hawaii (those who return to prison) has hovered around 40% for more than four decades. Such results are a textbook example of the difference, in results, between talking and communicating. With talking unwanted problems persist whereas when communication takes place problems are resolved.¹

Note: It's not the fault of the Hawaii Paroling Authority, they simply haven't been offered nor are they required to attend a Leadership Training Program (communication courses, classes, workshops, forums, seminars, yes! "Training"² No! --therefore, none of the parole board members have (or can quote) an agreed-upon definition of the word responsible. None intend success for each parolee, evidenced by the results.

Recidivists mirror our collective integrity, including the personal integrity of our Parole Board Members.³ When board members fail to create space for an inmate to communicate openly, honestly, and spontaneously, zero significant thoughts withheld, then, 40% of the time, they later discover that the parolee has returned to prison. Deceptions and lying took place during the Parole Board Interview and none of the board members were conscious enough to catch it.⁴ There are no exceptions to this phenomenon. Read: Parole, The First 24-hours)

This same mirroring entanglement phenomenon is what took place for all divorced couples who both (the nano-second they first observed each other), on, or even before, their very first date, simultaneously withheld a deal-breaking significant thought from each other. We always, automatically, without even knowing we're doing it, assume the integrity of the person we are conversing with. Dating couples always magnetically attract a partner who will mirror their integrity, as such, most bring their addictions to deception (to withholding significant thoughts) and blaming into the relationship.

A prisoner during a Parole Board Interview must convince the board members that they have learned their lesson, that they are going to go straight.⁵ I.e. Typical sentiments expressed by parole applicants are; "I promise I have learned my lesson." "I accept responsibility for my part in the robbery." And the biggie, "I won't do drugs again."⁶  A prisoner's mind is so clouded with life's unacknowledged incompletes (perpetrations) that he/she honestly believes they are telling the truth; a prisoner has no choice whatsoever other than to mirror the integrity of the Warden, the parole board members, the correctional officers and the facility's counselors/therapists.

All recidivists were paroled without having acknowledged all of life's perpetrations, specifically the perpetrations committed before the one for which they were incarcerated and those committed while incarcerated. A parole applicant would need assurance that telling the truth would not result in a longer sentence; this explains why prisoners are not forthcoming to Correctional Facility Counselors. I.e. "I've been stealing my cellmate's toothpaste."

Our integrity is such that we set up life so as to be acknowledged (caught) for all life's good deeds and perpetrations. A prisoner is hoping to find someone who is conscious (sharp) enough to catch their con. On the other hand, a Parole Board Member is also setting up life to support him/her in restoring and maintaining his/her integrity, including all of life's abuses and perpetrations, their personal integrity is measured by the recidivism rate. You mean to say if, as a parole Board member, I yelled at my spouse during breakfast and "forgot" to acknowledge that specific verbal abuse to her, that it affects my outcomes, her outcomes, and the outcomes for all with whom I relate until I clean it up?  Yes! Unless, you're stuck in denial, that you're not a leader, that your communications don't affect others.

¹ If you, as a graduate of any school, had been taught by a teacher who had successfully completed a Leadership Training Program you'd now have quotable definitions of the words, responsibility, and integrity; you would be able to explain the differences between the words goal, objective, aim, target, mission, and purpose, and, you'd have legible penmanship. The vast majority of qualified "teachers" are not clear about these definitions, therefore you aren't either.

² Colleges and universities are tasked with introducing education and health-care majors to the fundamentals and principles of communication, none that I'm aware of offer trainings. None require graduates to demonstrate an ability to create and support agreements. Education majors are not required to clean up (verbally communicate) all of life's perpetrations (lies, deceits, withholds, thefts, and abuses) with family members. None address the effects of withholds or the correlation between personal integrity and results and so their students graduate without having a direct experience of the effects of a single verbal/non-verbal abuse, specifically, an abuse that has not been acknowledged as being abusive.  I.e. Mom to son: "I get that my yelling earlier today didn't feel good."   All other qualifications being equal one would not choose a brain surgeon who has only been introduced to brain surgery, one who is cheating on his/her spouse.

³  If even one Parole Board Member supports, knows of, or is involved in marital infidelity (if they don't inspire each other to live with impeccable integrity), if one or more have lied or perpetrated a deception on a tax, insurance, medical, or job application form, or if one of the members verbally abuses his her spouse/children (and have not acknowledged each abuse to the "victim" such as, ("I get that what I said earlier today didn't feel good.") then a parolee has no choice other than to mirror the integrity of the board members. Note: All law enforcement personnel know of at least one officer who is perpetrating some deceit on someone, and, the "good" officers vote daily, non-verbally, to submit citizens to another day of their imitation of integrity.  Here on the Big Isle of Hawaii many of us are aware of (know the name of) a police officer who used to grow and sell marijuana; another classic example, of the effects of one's integrity, specifically the integrity of the supervisor of the person conducting job interviews.

⁴  If the Parole Board Members were to review a video recording of a recidivist's parole interview, with a Communication-Skills Coach, they would be able to identify and experience the communication(s) that contributed to the failed parole; they would see how they created space for the inmate to lie and deceive. It is unethical to manipulate another into lying, such as, asking your child, "Did you brush your teeth?" when you already knew they had not, it produces undesirable consequences for all concerned.

⁵  Parole Applicants survive incarceration by mastering the prison's communication model; they have been rigorously trained (24/7) by the state's most prolific experienced perpetrators of deceptions.  Like the Parole Applicant, Parole Board Members also believe that they are awake and that communication is taking place, that the truth is being told. I'm unaware of any parole boards that review videos of failed paroles, so as to see what worked and didn't.

⁶  A truthful statement would be, "I don't know if I won't do drugs again. I honestly believe I won't, however, I've lied to others and to myself before so I don't know if I'm telling the truth now. And, I've spent over 60-hours with a Communication-Skills Coach recalling and telling the truth about all of my perpetrations. I've invited my parents to do similar counseling but they refused, so I have estranged them from my life."  Note: It's unethical to send a parolee back to a family who has not concurrently participated in their own rehabilitation program so as to identify the communications that resulted in their child being incarcerated, the behaviors that did not inspire a life of integrity.

TIP: It's recommended that all Parole Board Members complete The [free] Clearing Process for Professionals, it's about restoring and maintaining one's integrity. Community Communications offers a free 3-hr coaching session to every Parole Board Member who has completed The Clearing Process for Professionals.

Potential Rumors:

Family of parolee must attend counseling.

Hawaii to hire successful parolees to serve on Parole Boards.

The above was sent to the Hawaii Department of Public Safety on 10/29/18. Reply: "Thank you for your email.  We will forward it to the Hawaii Paroling Authority." 

Update: 2/22/21 No reply/acknowledgment of receipt from the Hawaii Paroling Authority.

Last edited 12/17/23