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Parole board outlines release process, revocations and first use of prison‑population management lists
Summary
Chair Rondy Moore and Vice Chair Stephen Holmes told the Joint Judiciary Committee about the board’s structured decision points for discretionary releases and revocations, special‑needs parole referrals, and the operation of prison population management measures (PPMM) after DOC vacancy fell below 3%—of 91 offenders reviewed under PPMM Aug–Dec 2025, the board approved roughly 29 releases.
The State Board of Parole briefed the Joint Judiciary Committee on how the board evaluates discretionary releases and conducts revocation hearings, and explained new obligations tied to the Prison Population Management Measures (PPMM) that kick in when Department of Corrections vacancy rates fall below 3 percent for 30 days.
Board Chair Rondy Moore described the board as an independent decision‑making body that reviews an offender’s parole eligibility date (PED), actuarial risk assessments and structured decision‑making tools to determine whether a discretionary parole is appropriate. "The Parole Board's central focus is always on community safety first," Moore said. He explained that offenders who are parole‑eligible may be reviewed no earlier than 90 days before their PED and that conditional discretionary releases (CDR) require completion of conditions such as approved housing or program completion before an actual release date is set.
Vice Chair Stephen Holmes outlined the revocation process and statistics, saying that for fiscal year 26 so far the board has continued parole for 76 people and revoked parole for 489, with roughly 1,300 revocation hearings in the prior year. Holmes said absconding and law violations account for the majority of revocation hearings.
On the prison‑population management measures triggered by the DOC vacancy threshold, the board said it has reviewed lists produced by DOC. Between Aug. 16 and December 2025, the board received lists every two weeks and identified 91 offenders meeting PPMM criteria; the board released 29 of those eligible under PPMM (approximately 32 percent). Parole staff noted several ineligibility factors—violent convictions, victim‑notification requirements, recent institutional infractions or pending detainers—that limit who qualifies for release under PPMM.
Committee members asked about delays between parole eligibility, hearings and actual release dates. The board responded that scheduling and housing or program completion issues commonly account for hold times; if the board grants release at a hearing and the conditions are satisfied the board will set a release date, typically within 15 days.
The board said it is also tracking special‑needs parole (SNP) referrals following recent legislation expanding SNP opportunities; through December 2025 the board had received 29 SNP referrals. Members requested additional breakdowns of CARES/LSI overrides, how often the board departs from low‑risk recommendations and other data; the board agreed to provide figures where available.
