parole

Alabama lawmakers question parole board chair on low releases, lack of responsiveness

Leigh Gwathney, the chairwoman of the three-person Board of Pardons and Paroles, appeared before the Legislative Prison Committee in a sometimes tense meeting to take lawmakers’ questions about the parole process. The meeting was marked by a series of terse exchanges as lawmakers accused Gwathney of not answering their questions.

‘Mississippi Five’ parole issues highlight the toll of ‘graying’ in Gulf South prisons

A campaign to free five women, known as the "Mississippi Five," shows how prison populations throughout the region are aging.

Parole denied for 90% of Alabama inmates, a new low

The rate of state inmates being granted parole in Alabama has plummeted to a new low, with 90% of eligible inmates being rejected last fiscal year.

Cam Ward Plans New Direction For Pardons And Paroles

State Sen. Cam Ward is replacing Charlie Graddick as director of Alabama's Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Under Graddick's leadership, paroles rates declined significantly.

Parole Hearings Will Resume With “Reduced Person-To-Person Interaction”

The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles will resume parole hearings May 18 after stopping them last month in response to COVID-19. Advocates say the state should expedite the parole process to protect inmates and alleviate prison overcrowding.

Prisons Officials Request $42 Million Increase to Hire Staff, Improve Healthcare

Prisons will be a top issue in the upcoming legislative session. The state Department of Corrections presented its budget request Thursday, along with the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.

After Two Month Delay, Parole Hearings Will Resume

The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles will resume parole hearings Tuesday. The state agency postponed hundreds of hearings since September, citing new legal requirements.

Alabama’s Chemical Castration Law Draws Criticism

Certain convicted sex offenders in Alabama will soon have to undergo chemical castration if they want to be released on parole. That’s according to a bill signed into law this week by Gov. Kay Ivey.

Reading Proficiency, Equal Pay Among Bills Passed in Alabama Legislature

Lawmakers approved a slew of bills this week, which is expected to be the last one of the 2019 session. Measures on equal pay and holding back third-graders who don't read proficiently were among those passed in the push toward the session's end.