Parole - FAQs

ABPP calculates an inmate’s eligibility consideration according to Ala. Code §15-22-28(e). An inmate’s sentence, crime, jail credit, ability to earn good time, time served, and any orders by the sentencing court can all affect an inmate’s eligibility. Once an inmate’s eligibility date has been calculated per Alabama law, the inmate will receive a letter with his or her parole consideration eligibility date or “set date” designating a specific month and year. The set date does not guarantee the inmate a parole consideration hearing during that month, but only that the inmate’s file will be processed once he or she reaches eligibility. The Bureau makes every effort to set an inmate as close to his or her set date as possible.

Yes, an inmate or another individual may submit this application with all required documentation to paroles@paroles.alabama.gov or by mail to our address ATTN: Board Operations. An inmate may apply only once a year (or after 18 months if he or she has been denied or revoked from parole). Refer to Administrative Rule 640-X-3 under the Resources tab for more information and requirements.

No, if the youthful offender sentence is the only case he or she has. Youthful offender cases are ineligible for parole consideration because youthful offender adjudication is not a criminal conviction. Alabama law provides that the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall have the authority and power, after conviction and not otherwise, to grant pardons and paroles and to remit fines and forfeitures. Therefore, the Board does not have jurisdiction over youthful offenders. However, if the inmate has other non-YO cases, he or she would be eligible after the youthful offender sentence is completed.

No, if the split sentence is the only case he or she has. However, if the inmate has other cases with straight sentences for which he or she would be eligible, he or she would actually be eligible for parole consideration after the mandatory time of the split sentence is completed, unless the split sentence is consecutive. 

Ala. Code §15-22-43 (enacted in 2017) provides for a special medical parole docket for the Board’s consideration. To be eligible for medical parole, an inmate must otherwise be eligible for initial parole consideration, must not be barred from parole by statute, and must be defined under the law as:

1. Geriatric;
2. Permanently incapacitated; or
3. Terminally ill.

Additionally, an inmate may be eligible for medical parole if he or she is otherwise eligible for initial parole consideration, is not barred from parole by statute, and:

1. Has spent more than 30 or more days in an infirmary in the prior calendar year;
2. Has received costly and frequent medical treatment outside a Department of Corrections facility in the previous 12 months; or
3. Is suffering from a life-threatening illness and whose death is imminent within 12 months.

Please note: ABPP does not employ doctors. Doctors employed by the Department of Corrections make the necessary medical determinations in medical parole cases as to whether an inmate qualifies as geriatric, permanently incapacitated, or terminally ill as defined by Ala. Code §15-22-42 or otherwise meets statutory criteria for medical parole consideration; then, the Department of Corrections sends lists of names of inmates who are potential candidates for medical parole to ABPP to prepare a medical parole docket for the Board.

If nothing has changed to affect an inmate’s set date, he or she will be set for a hearing as soon as ABPP is able to do so. The inmate will receive a letter setting the hearing date. If you wish to receive a courtesy notice of an inmate’s hearing date once it is scheduled, you may do so by completing this form and submitting it to us by email at notifications@paroles.alabama.gov, or by mail to our address ATTN: Board Operations. You may also call us at 334-242-8700 and selection Option 1 to register.

Yes, you may register as an interested party to receive a courtesy notice of an inmate’s hearing date. You may do so by completing this form and submitting it to us by email at notifications@paroles.alabama.gov, or by mail to our address ATTN: Board Operations. You may also call us at 334-242-8700 and selecting Option 1 to register.

Yes, if you are a victim, victim’s advocate, victim’s representative, law enforcement officer, or official wishing to submit a protest letter, please email your letter or statement to victim.services@paroles.alabama.gov, mail it to us at our address with ATTN: Victim Services, or call us and someone will take your statement over the phone.

If you wish to submit a statement in support of parole or a pardon, please email your letter or statement to notifications@paroles.alabama.gov, mail it to us at our address with ATTN: Board Operations, or call us and someone will take your statement over the phone.

We must receive your statement within FIVE business days prior to the hearing.

Please visit General Information under the HEARINGS tab on our website or click here. If you still have questions, please call us at 334-242-8700 and select Option 1.

Once we verify the inmate’s home plan, we will coordinate with the Department of Corrections to schedule the inmate’s release on parole. For this reason, we cannot give you an exact release date. You may call our agency on Wednesday afternoons for a list of releases scheduled for the following Monday.

The Board may, at its discretion, determine a new set date for the inmate to be considered for parole again. This will be reflected on the results page as “denied with reset.” The Board’s new set date cannot be more than two (2) years following denial for inmates serving sentences of 20 years or less for nonviolent offenses or five (5) years following denial for all other inmates. If the Board denies parole with no reset date, the inmate will not have another parole consideration hearing prior to serving the remainder of his or her sentence.

Per Ala. Code §15-22-26.2, mandatory release is an automated release mechanism that only applies to those inmates with offenses committed on or after January 30, 2016. Individuals convicted of a sex offense involving a child are excluded as are offenders serving life sentences. Release of eligible inmates is based upon the length of sentence. The law provides for certain ranges of time for release preceding an individual’s end of sentence:

1. For sentences of five years or less, mandatory release is no less than three months and no more than five months prior to the end of sentence date;
2. For sentences of more than five years but less than 10 years, mandatory release is no less than six months and no more than nine months prior to the end of sentence date;
3. For sentences of 10 years or more, mandatory release is no less than 12 months and no more than 24 months prior to the end of sentence date.

The Department of Corrections determines an inmate’s mandatory release date based on the above statutory ranges and coordinates with ABPP to prepare for release to supervision. If you have questions regarding mandatory release eligibility, please contact the Department of Corrections at 855.937.2362.

The Department of Corrections is responsible for the placement and transfer of all inmates. They can be reached at 855.937.2362. 

Neither the Board nor the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles has authority to place inmates in work release, Community Corrections Program (CCP), Supervised Intensive Restitution (SIR) Program, or Pre‐Discretionary Leave (PDL) Program. The Department of Corrections is responsible for these programs. They may be reached at 855.937.2362.