Why did critics object to prison administrators having broad power over release decisions?

Critics of the broad power granted to prison administrators regarding release decisions—often associated with the indeterminate sentence—raised significant concerns about the potential for abuse and lack of transparency.12

The primary objections included:

• Arbitrary Discretion: Critics argued that administrators could decide to release or further detain an offender based on vaguely defined assessments of "progress" or "reform," leading to inconsistent and unpredictable outcomes.1
• Gross Abuses of Power: There were documented cases where this authority resulted in the lengthy detention of individuals who had committed only minor crimes. Such extended incarceration often occurred because the offender failed or refused to adopt a subservient attitude toward prison officials or other authority figures.1
• Subjectivity: Because release decisions were tied to an administrator's personal evaluation of an offender's personality, attitude, and conduct, the process was frequently criticized for being susceptible to individual bias rather than objective standards.12

These concerns highlighted the ethical tension between the rehabilitative goals of the indeterminate sentence and the need to protect individuals from unchecked administrative authority.1