| SUMMARY OF: | Department of Corrections, Board of Parole |
Purpose of the Report
The audit was performed to determine if there is a continued need for the board and if its termination date should be extended. The board is set to sunset on June 30, 2025, and will have one year from that date to conclude its administrative operations.
Report Conclusions
The audit concluded that the board generally complied with State law when conducting its meetings, setting parole conditions, and holding hearings. Furthermore, the board complied with State law when granting discretionary parole; however, the board granted discretionary parole at a much lower rate than it granted before criminal justice reform. The board was unable to provide specific reasons why its parole approval rate decreased.
In accordance with AS 44.66.010(a)(2), the board is scheduled to terminate on June 30, 2025. We recommend that the legislature extend the board’s termination date four years to June 30, 2029, which is half of the maximum allowed by statute. The reduced extension recommendation reflects the need for more timely legislative oversight considering the unexplained decrease in the parole approval rate, as well as the audit findings related to unjustified staff positions and outdated regulations.
Findings and Recommendations
- The board chair should work with DOC’s commissioner to ensure all hearings are conducted in a confidential manner.
- The board chair and DOC’s commissioner should ensure regulations are updated in a timely manner.
- DOC’s commissioner should ensure fiscal notes for pending legislation properly reflect decreases, as appropriate.