Why Does the Parole Board Keep Changing the Release Date?

A parole board changing release dates multiple times is frustrating but not uncommon, and it usually reflects one of a few things happening on the back end.

The most common reason is that the inmate's program or treatment placement has changed. Your son's situation illustrates this directly. When a sentence is modified from a therapeutic addiction program to long-term parole board supervision, the entire release calculation changes. A therapeutic program has a defined completion timeline. Long-term parole board jurisdiction means the board is now making discretionary decisions about release on an ongoing basis rather than working toward a fixed program completion date. Each time the board reviews and either grants or defers release, the projected date shifts.

The parole board also sets and adjusts dates based on what it sees at each review. If your son has not completed specific requirements the board considers necessary for release, or if there have been any behavioral issues, the board pushes the date forward. If he has made progress that satisfies their criteria, the date moves closer.

Being in an A&D unit, which stands for alcohol and drug, as a first-time offender generally puts someone in a more favorable category than a career criminal, but the board still evaluates each case individually at each review.