Does California's Parole System Need to Be Rebuilt?

Lovelle Mixon was a 26-year-old former janitor who killed four Oakland policemen last Saturday afternoon. Two had pulled him over for a routine traffic stop. The others were SWAT officers who stormed an apartment where Mixon was hiding.  Mixon, who also was killed by gunfire, had been on parole since November. He had eight contacts with his parole officer after his release, but then missed several appointments. He had been declared a parole violator and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. The killing has focused attention on parole system that even some state officials agree hasn’t been working for years.  What’s wrong?  What are prospects for change?