By Ebony Ruhland and Kelly L. Mitchell

  Connecticut is an indeterminate sentencing state, which means that at the time of conviction, the court imposes a maximum sentence, but the parole board makes the determination as to when the person can be released from prison. In Connecticut, anyone who is not statutorily excluded from eligibility3 and who is imprisoned for a definite sentence or total effective sentence of more than two years may be considered for parole. A “definite sentence” simply refers to the maximum sentence imposed by the court. ``Total effective sentence” refers to the total maximum time to be served after adding together the sentences imposed for multiple convictions, taking into account whether the sentences are to be served consecutively (one after the other) or concurrently (at the same time). The Board of Pardons and Parole (BOPP) is responsible for deciding when a person will be released on parole, which is defined as the “conditional release of an individual from confinement . . . prior to expiration of the maximum term or terms of imprisonment” or “the court-ordered period of community supervision following expiration of the maximum term or terms of imprisonment.” The BOPP comprises ten full-time and up to five part-time members. These individuals are appointed by the Governor and can serve for as long as the appointing Governor remains in office. The BOPP has independent decision-making authority over whether to grant or deny parole of individuals who are incarcerated, what conditions of parole should be placed upon individuals who are granted parole, and whether and when to rescind or revoke parole. The Parole Board works in panels of three members. When empaneled for any type of parole hearing, members make decisions based on a majority vote. In deciding whether a person may be released on parole, the BOPP must determine if “there is a reasonable probability that such inmate will live and remain at liberty without violating the law, and . . . [that] such release is not incompatible with the welfare of society.” To frame their decision making process, BOPP members use the Structured Parole Decision Making (SPDM) framework, which allows BOPP members to systematically consider  risk and need factors across seven domains—criminal/parole history; institutional/community behavior; disinhibitors; responsivity; offender change; release plan; and case-specific factors. There are three parole approval processes: traditional parole, parole without a hearing, and special parole.     

Minneapolis: Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, 2024. 41p.