Parole Eligibility For Youthful Offenders

The bill makes an offender serving a sentence in the department of corrections for a felony offense that was committed while the offender was 18 to 24 years of age eligible for parole after the offender serves 50% of the sentence and after the offender has served at least 15 calendar years in prison. There is a presumption, subject to the parole board's discretion, that the offender will be released on parole if the offender has not had any code of penal discipline violations in the last 5 years and no class I code of penal discipline violations in the last 10 years. The department of corrections operates a specialized program for offenders who are serving a prison sentence for a felony offense committed while the offender was a juvenile as a result of criminal charges filed by direct file or transfer proceedings. The bill would expand program eligibility to adults serving a sentence for a felony that was committed when the person was 18 to 24 years of age. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)