Virginia CURE » Monthly Virginia Parole Board Decisions July 2005 – 2011
Monthly Virginia Parole Board Decisions July 2005 – 2011
The current update includes December 2011 data and totals for the year. Nine prisoners were granted parole in December or a grant rate of 4.0 per cent, out of a total of 226 decisions. The Virginia Parole Board Monthly Decisions can be accessed at www.vadoc.vpb. As always the numbers have been carefully checked.
Overall parole grants for 2011 were 3.5 per cent, less than one-half those of 2010 both in absolute numbers and in percentage terms. These are at the lowest levels since regular reports have been available. By forgoing the opportunity to maintain parole rates at levels comparable to past years Virginia taxpayers will forgo savings of roughly $4 million annually into the future. Parole decisions in 2011 appear to be consistent with an apparent policy shift to an extremely conservative set of standards well below what has long been considered one of the nation’s most conservative parole boards. A conservative set of parole guidelines can politically minimize any embarrassment or risks of a parolee being released and then committing another crime while on parole. However current parole board actions raise serious considerations regarding taxpayer costs of continuing to extend sentences of predominantly older male prisoners in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s while also delaying the opportunity for the return of offenders to productive roles in society. VA CURE estimates 70% to 75% of “old law” prisoners eligible for parole are racial and ethnic minorities.
Two-thirds of parole revocations in December, 2011 were black offenders. Seven black prisoners were granted parole while parole was not granted to at 146 black offenders. Blacks comprise less than 20% of the population of Virginia according to recent census information and were 68 per cent of December 2011 parole board decisions. Overall black comprise over 61 per cent of Virginia’s prisoners of all ages.
In 2011 parole Board decisions involved 463 persons 36 years old or less or 11 per cent of the total cases. Prisoners sentenced to felony offenses committed on/after January 1, 1995, are not eligible for parole except for seldom used geriatric exceptions. Juveniles that committed felonies under age 21 after January 1, 1995 may be eligible for parole as youthful offenders..
Virginia Parole Board Decisions: 2005 to 2011
| Month/Year | Granted Parole | Not Granted | Revoked | Youthful Offender* Parole Decisions |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | Number | Number | Number | |
| Total Jul-Dec 2005 | 174 | 7% | 2149 | 217 | |
| Total 2006 | 164 | 4% | 4186 | 660 | |
| Total 2007 | 218 | 5% | 4402 | 653 | 420** |
| Total 2008 | 276 | 6% | 4322 | 523 | 453*** |
| Total 2009 | 380 | 9% | 3972 | 377 | 426**** |
| 2010 | Number | Percent | Number | Number | Age 35 or less* |
| January | 21 | 7% | 287 | 8 | 44 |
| February | 37 | 7% | 466 | 13 | 47 |
| March | 19 | 13% | 131 | 15 | 23 |
| April | 16 | 6% | 257 | 22 | 30 |
| May | 37 | 6% | 563 | 30 | 51 |
| June | 31 | 10% | 275 | 34 | 50 |
| July | 16 | 8% | 177 | 26 | 31 |
| August | 40 | 6% | 666 | 25 | 53 |
| September | 23 | 11% | 193 | 32 | 49 |
| October | 12 | 8% | 146 | 27 | 23 |
| November | 22 | 5% | 462 | 19 | 37 |
| December | 19 | 8% | 209 | 35 | 29 |
| Total 2010 | 293 | 7% | 3832 | 286 | 467 |
| 2011 | Number | Percent | Number | Number | Age 36 or less* |
| January | 18 | 6% | 262 | 47 | 47 |
| February | 7 | 2% | 313 | 17 | 39 |
| March | 9 | 2% | 404 | 51 | 45 |
| April | 14 | 3% | 426 | 18 | 39 |
| May | 12 | 4% | 317 | 19 | 34 |
| June | 2 | 1% | 159 | 37 | 13 |
| July | 13 | 3% | 374 | 28 | 51 |
| August | 16 | 16 | 4% | 424 | 16 |
| September | 9 | 7% | 126 | 40 | 18 |
| October | 16 | 5% | 280 | 21 | 19 |
| November | 9 | 2% | 384 | 15 | 26 |
| December | 9 | 4% | 217 | 51 | 36 |
| Total 2011 | 134 | 4% | 3686 | 360 | 463 |
Black Prisoners as a Percentage of Parole Board Decisions
| Month/Year | Granted | Not Granted | Revoked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Percent | Percent | Percent |
| August | 58% | 54% | 88% |
| September | 57% | 63% | 66% |
| October | 75% | 69% | 64% |
| November | 68% | 69% | 63% |
| December | 58% | 59% | 66% |
| 2011 | Percent | Percent | Percent |
| January | 67% | 65% | 72% |
| February | 75% | 65% | 38% |
| March | 44% | 73% | 69% |
| April | 50% | 69% | 83% |
| May | 73% | 61% | 68% |
| June | 50% | 60% | 62% |
| July | 77% | 66% | 82% |
| August | 69% | 66% | 75% |
| September | 78% | 62% | 70% |
| October | 62% | 68% | 81% |
| November | 56% | 69% | 93% |
| December | 78% | 67% | 67% |
*Eligible for parole as Youthful Offenders Code of Virginia 19.2-311.
Incarcerated for crimes committed subsequent to Dec. 31, 1994.
**Offenders Age 32 or less. ***Offenders Age 33 or less.
****Offenders Age 34 or less