Parole Board Research Paper

Words: 237
Pages: 1

Parole boards are the governing authority granting parole, or the early conditional release of offenders from prison, consisting of in most states of members appointed by the governor (Bohm & Haley, 2011). Dependent on state laws, parole boards are responsible for granting two types of parole. First, mandatory parole is guaranteed by state law after serving a specified percentage of a sentence. This release is required, and the parole board must oblige regardless of opinion. Conversely, discretionary parole allows the parole board to determine if an offender qualifies for parole by meeting specific criteria. The factors that parole boards base their decisions to grant or refuse parole are specified guidelines used by 80% parole boards for