Before Release: Common Questions on Preparing for Parole Board Hearings and on New Laws Affecting Sentencing and Release Dates

While Root & Rebound (the nonprofit reentry legal resource center that writes, updates, and publishes this guidebook) focuses on helping people prepare for and navigate legal barriers in reentry related to having a criminal record and/or being formerly incarcerated, we receive many questions through letters and our weekly Reentry Legal Hotline from people currently incarcerated in state prison, asking about new laws and policies affecting parole eligibility, release date calculations, and parole consideration hearings for lifers.

While Root & Rebound’s legal team does not have expertise on parole eligibility, release date calculations, and parole consideration hearings, we know it can be very difficult to get up-to-date and useful information while incarcerated about new laws impacting your life and future release.

To address this huge need, we have included new information and resources here and in the PAROLE & PROBATION CHAPTER’S Appendix on the following issues:

    Preparing for parole consideration hearings before the California Board of Parole Hearings (BPH)
    SB 260 and SB 261
    SB 394
    The Elderly Parole Program
    Proposition 57
    SB 620 & SB 180

  1. Preparing for Parole Consideration Hearings before the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH)

    1. Who has to go before the Board of Parole Hearings to be released from California state prison?

    2. Who can help me prepare for the Board of Parole hearings?

  2. SB 260 and SB 261

    1. What are SENATE BILL 260 (SB 260) and SENATE BILL 261 (SB 261)?

    2. How can SENATE BILL 260 (SB 260) and SENATE BILL 261 (SB 261) help me?

  3. SB 394: YOUTH OFFENDER PAROLE HEARINGS FOR People Sentenced to “LWOP” (Life without the Possibility of Parole)

    1. What IS Senate Bill 394 (SB 394)?

    2. How can SENATE bILL 394 (SB 394) help me?

  4. ELDERLY PAROLE PROGRAM

    1. What IS THE ELDERLY PAROLE PROGRAM?

    2. How can THE ELDERLY PAROLE PROGRAM help me?

  5. Proposition 57 (“Prop. 57”)

    1. What is Prop. 57?

    2. How can Prop. 57 help me?

    3. What is the Proposition 57 early parole process?

    4. AM I eligible for the Proposition 57 early parole process if I am a nonviolent third striker?

    5. How does a Proposition 57 PAROLE hearing work?

    6. How will the Board of Parole Hearings decide whether I pass the public safety screen?

    7. What changes did Proposition 57 make to credit earning?

    8. How can I learn more about Proposition 57?

  6. SB 620: unwarranted firearm enhancements

    1. What is SENATE BILL 620 (SB 620)?

    2. How can SENATE BILL 620 (SB 620) help me?

  7. SB 180: DRUG SENTENCING REFORM

    1. What is SENATE BILL 180 (SB 180)?

    2. How can SENATE BIILL 180 (SB 180) help me?