Motivation may be a powerful mediating factor in reducing recidivism. The results indicate that release on day parole is about equally likely for female offenders as for males, and that females are equally likely to successfully complete a day parole release. However, females are more likely to have been convicted of a less serious offence than males and are serving shorter sentences. They are rated as lower risk, but have about the same level of needs identified. Female offenders are more likely to be recommended for programs, and are more likely to participate in them.
Aboriginal offenders are less likely to have an opportunity to be released on day parole.
Overall, they are more likely to come from disrupted families and alcohol abuse is a frequent problem in the homes they were raised in, and in their lives. Aboriginal offenders had higher rates of unemployment at the time of their offence, were frequently unemployed in the year prior to the offence and were shown to have needs in the areas of academic level and employment skills. Alcohol is likely to have been a factor in their crimes and they are more likely to have been convicted of an assault and to have used a weapon in the commission of their offence. The data suggest that day parole is an effective program for encouraging the early release of offenders where appropriate, and the data on day parole failure indicate that day parole decisions for early release effectively select those offenders most likely to successfully complete the day parole period. Offenders released on day parole after their full parole eligibility date have higher failure rates.