The Continuing Leverage of Releasing Authorities: Findings from a National Survey

In March 2015, the Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice conducted a national survey of state parole boards and the U.S. Parole Commission — the first of its kind in almost a decade — to explore their approaches to release and violation decision-making, issues related to due process, their use of risk assessments, and other topics. This report compiles the survey results and serves as a resource for parole and correctional authorities, policymakers, and other criminal justice system stakeholders who are interested in seeing how parole boards across the country compare with one another. The report also informs discussions regarding best practices for parole release and revocation practices.