NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — The Prison Policy Initiative this week released a new report, Parole in Perspective, revealing widespread flaws in how parole boards operate across at least 35 states. The study found that these boards are releasing fewer people each year, contributing to what the organization calls systemic injustice in the parole process.
The report states that “parole releases are on the decline in nearly every state that uses discretionary parole, highlighting elements of the process that contribute to this urgent problem.” It focuses on two main areas: how parole boards are structured and how their hearings are conducted. It also examines new data on hearings and grant rates, showing that “factors that boards consider — including their discretion,” directly determine whether someone is released.
The findings are based on detailed data tables compiled by the Prison Policy Initiative, or PPI. The data show differences among states not only in how hearings are held but also in how many people even get the opportunity for a hearing or a grant. Despite operating under “exact statutory text” guidelines, the report found that state parole boards interpret and apply these laws inconsistently.
Guiding texts, including a so-called “North Star” document, are intended to help policymakers make consistent and fair decisions. But according to the report, those decisions often vary widely between states, as many prioritize political or bureaucratic power over meaningful reform.
The report also highlights the deeper systemic flaws in parole systems overall. It argues that boards rely too heavily on external influences such as public perception of the crime — factors an applicant cannot control. It adds that some boards make irrational decisions to keep people incarcerated, a problem that has worsened with the shift to virtual hearings rather than in-person ones.
Report author Leah Wang wrote, “By shining a light on boards and their practices, we hope to lay a path toward making these systems real tools for decarceration.” She added, “Despite their differences, all discretionary parole systems have serious design flaws that lead to an unfair preparation and hearing process for incarcerated people.”
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