The abolition of discretionary parole in many jurisdictions has resulted in the elimination of an important public safety mechanism. Previously, parole hearings were opportunities to assess risk and identify needs associated with criminal behavior. At least theoretically, they were also forums where victims, families, and other community members could voice their concerns. ^[1]   With the decline of discretionary release, many jurisdictions no longer seek the counsel of prisoners' families or provide victims the opportunity to participate in release-related decisions. While almost all states have enacted legislation about victim input into the parole process, only 15 states notify victims that a parole hearing has been scheduled. In some other states, the victim must request notification. Six states do not permit victims to appear at parole hearings at all. ^[2]   While the involvement of families, communities, and victims in release decisions is not prevalent in corrections, such inclusion is a hallmark of restorative justice initiatives, which recognize that many people, individually and collectively, may be harmed by criminal behavior. ^[3]   Furthermore, inclusion in the process provides these stakeholders with an early opportunity to promote successful re-entry outcomes for the offender. This is particularly important as informal social controls exerted by family, peers, and community have been shown in some studies to have a more direct effect on offender behavior than formal controls such as supervision or law enforcement. ^[4]