United States Parole Commission
The United States Parole Commission (USPC) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for overseeing parole decisions for federal offenders. Established in 1976 through the Parole Commission and Reorganization Act, it evolved from the earlier United States Board of Parole, which had been operational since 1930. The USPC primarily grants, alters, and revokes paroles, with its authority limited to individuals who committed federal offenses before November 1, 1987, following the enactment of the Sentencing Reform Act. Additionally, the commission has jurisdiction over parole decisions for military prisoners and for U.S. citizens serving sentences imposed by foreign countries. The USPC aims to apply the least restrictive sanctions necessary to ensure justice and public safety. Although there have been attempts to abolish the commission between 1992 and 2002, it has continuously been deemed essential, resulting in multiple extensions of its operational mandate into the mid-2020s.
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United States Parole Commission
Identification: Agency within the U.S. Department of Justice
Date: Created as the United States Board of Parole in 1930; renamed United States Parole Commission in 1976
Significance: The United States Parole Commission grants, alters, and revokes paroles to federal criminals and supervises parolees.
In May, 1976, the Parole Commission and Reorganization Act renamed the United States Board of Parole, in existence since 1930, the United States Parole Commission (USPC). The major responsibility of the USPC was to make parole decisions for eligible federal offenders. In 1984, the Sentencing Reform Act ended parole eligibility for individuals who committed federal offenses after November 1, 1987. Since then, the USPC has made parole decisions only for offenders who committed offenses prior to November 1, 1987.
In 1997, the authority of the USPC was extended to include the District of Columbia federal prisoners, a responsibility previously delegated to the District of Columbia Board of Parole. The USPC also has jurisdiction for conducting hearings and setting release dates for U.S. citizens who are sent home to the United States to serve sentences imposed by foreign countries. The commission also has authority to grant or deny parole to military prisoners who are serving sentences in facilities of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. In all of its decisions, the USPC applies the least restrictive sanctions that ensure justice and public safety.
On three different occasions between 1992 and 2002, federal legislation was passed that would have abolished the USPC. On each occasion, however, it was determined that no other federal agency was ready to assume the duties of the USPC, so it was maintained. In 2002, realizing that the parole functions regulated by the USPC were still necessary, the U.S. Congress extended the lifetime of the agency through at least November 1, 2005.
Bibliography
United States Parole Commission. History of the Federal Parole System. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, 2003.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. An Overview of the United States Parole Commission. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, 1997.