Parole Eligibility For Youthful Offenders

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 act would expand program eligibility to adults serving a sentence for a felony that was committed when the person was under 21 years of age. The act requires the court, when it sentences a person under 21 years of age, to make a statement that it is possible the defendant could serve a portion of the sentence in the specialized program.The act appropriates $118,976 from the general fund and provides 1.4 FTE to the department of corrections to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)