Sec. 54-125a. Parole of inmate serving sentence of more than two years. Eligibility. Hearing to determine suitability for parole release of certain inmates. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 54-125a. Parole of inmate serving sentence of more than two years. Eligibility. Hearing to determine suitability for parole release of certain inmates. (a) A person convicted of one or more crimes who is incarcerated on or after October 1, 1990, who received a definite sentence or aggregate sentence of more than two years, and who has been confined under such sentence or sentences for not less than one-half of the aggregate sentence or one-half of the most recent sentence imposed by the court, whichever is greater, may be allowed to go at large on parole in the discretion of the panel of the Board of Pardons and Paroles for the institution in which the person is confined, if (1) it appears from all available information, including any reports from the Commissioner of Correction that the panel may require, that there is reasonable probability that such inmate will live and remain at liberty without violating the law, and (2) such release is not incompatible with the welfare of society. At the discretion of the panel, and under the terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the panel including requiring the parolee to submit personal reports, the parolee shall be allowed to return to the parolee's home or to reside in a residential community center, or to go elsewhere. The parolee shall, while on parole, remain under the jurisdiction of the board until the expiration of the maximum term or terms for which the parolee was sentenced. Any parolee released on the condition that the parolee reside in a residential community center may be required to contribute to the cost incidental to such residence. Each order of parole shall fix the limits of the parolee's residence, which may be changed in the discretion of the board and the Commissioner of Correction. Within three weeks after the commitment of each person sentenced to more than one year, the state's attorney for the judicial district shall send to the Board of Pardons and Paroles the record, if any, of such person.

      (b) (1) No person convicted of any of the following offenses, which was committed on or after July 1, 1981, shall be eligible for parole under subsection (a) of this section: Capital felony, as provided in section 53a-54b, felony murder, as provided in section 53a-54c, arson murder, as provided in section 53a-54d, murder, as provided in section 53a-54a, or aggravated sexual assault in the first degree, as provided in section 53a-70a. (2) A person convicted of (A) a violation of section 53a-100aa or 53a-102, or (B) an offense, other than an offense specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection, where the underlying facts and circumstances of the offense involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person shall be ineligible for parole under subsection (a) of this section until such person has served not less than eighty-five per cent of the definite sentence imposed.

      (c) The Board of Pardons and Paroles shall, not later than July 1, 1996, adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to ensure that a person convicted of an offense described in subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section is not released on parole until such person has served eighty-five per cent of the definite sentence imposed by the court. Such regulations shall include guidelines and procedures for classifying a person as a violent offender that are not limited to a consideration of the elements of the offense or offenses for which such person was convicted.

      (d) The Board of Pardons and Paroles shall hold a hearing to determine the suitability for parole release of any person whose eligibility for parole release is not subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section upon completion by such person of seventy-five per cent of such person's definite or aggregate sentence. An employee of the board or, if deemed necessary by the chairperson, a panel of the board shall reassess the suitability for parole release of such person based on the following standards: (1) Whether there is reasonable probability that such person will live and remain at liberty without violating the law, and (2) whether the benefits to such person and society that would result from such person's release to community supervision substantially outweigh the benefits to such person and society that would result from such person's continued incarceration. After hearing, if the board determines that continued confinement is necessary, it shall articulate for the record the specific reasons why such person and the public would not benefit from such person serving a period of parole supervision while transitioning from incarceration to the community. The decision of the board under this subsection shall not be subject to appeal.

      (e) The Board of Pardons and Paroles shall hold a hearing to determine the suitability for parole release of any person whose eligibility for parole release is subject to the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section upon completion by such person of eighty-five per cent of such person's definite or aggregate sentence. An employee of the board or, if deemed necessary by the chairperson, a panel of the board shall assess the suitability for parole release of such person based on the following standards: (1) Whether there is reasonable probability that such person will live and remain at liberty without violating the law, and (2) whether the benefits to such person and society that would result from such person's release to community supervision substantially outweigh the benefits to such person and society that would result from such person's continued incarceration. After hearing, if the board determines that continued confinement is necessary, it shall articulate for the record the specific reasons why such person and the public would not benefit from such person serving a period of parole supervision while transitioning from incarceration to the community. The decision of the board under this subsection shall not be subject to appeal.

      (f) Any person released on parole under this section shall remain in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction and be subject to supervision by personnel of the Department of Correction during such person's period of parole.

      (P.A. 90-261, S. 5; P.A. 92-114; P.A. 93-219, S. 2, 14; P.A. 94-37, S. 2; P.A. 95-255, S. 1-3; P.A. 99-196, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 74, 131; P.A. 04-234, S. 2, 3; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1, S. 5.)

      History: P.A. 92-114 amended Subsec. (a) to make eligible for parole a person convicted of "one or more crimes" who received "a definite sentence or aggregate sentence of more than one year and has been confined under such sentence or sentences for not less than one-half of the aggregate sentence or one-half of the most recent sentence imposed by the court, whichever is greater", rather than only a person convicted of "a felony" who received "a definite sentence of more than one year who has been confined under such sentence for not less than one-half of the sentence imposed by the court"; P.A. 93-219 amended Subsec. (a) to limit parole eligibility to persons who received a sentence of more than two years, rather than more than one year, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-37 amended Subsec. (b) to make ineligible for parole a person convicted of an offense committed with a firearm in or on, or within 1,500 feet of, the real property comprising a public or private elementary or secondary school; P.A. 95-255 amended Subsec. (b) to add Subdiv. (2) re parole eligibility of persons convicted of offenses involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force, designating existing provision re parole ineligibility of certain offenders as Subdiv. (1) and existing provision re parole eligibility of persons convicted of offenses carrying a mandatory minimum sentence as Subdiv. (3), effective July 1, 1996, and added Subsec. (c) requiring the Board of Parole to adopt regulations re the classification and release of violent offenders, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-196 amended Subsec. (b) to delete Subdiv. (3) re parole eligibility date of a person convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum sentence; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 added Subsec. (d) requiring the Board of Parole to submit reports re the number of persons whose eligibility for parole release is subject to Subsec. (a) and who have completed 75% of their definite sentence but have not been approved for parole release and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 04-234 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that parolee shall, while on parole, remain "under the jurisdiction" of board rather than "in the legal custody" of board and provide that limits of parolee's residence may be changed in discretion of "the board and the Commissioner of Correction" rather than in discretion of "such panel", amended Subsec. (b) to delete provision making ineligible for parole a person convicted of offense committed with a firearm in or on, or within 1,500 feet of an elementary or secondary school, add provision making ineligible for parole a person convicted of aggravated assault in the first degree, as provided in Sec. 53a-70a and make technical changes, deleted former Subsec. (d) requiring Board of Parole to submit reports re the number of persons whose eligibility for parole release is subject to Subsec. (a) and who have completed 75% of their definite sentence but have not been approved for parole release, added new Subsec. (d) to require board to hold hearing to determine suitability for parole release of any person whose eligibility for parole release is not subject to Subsec. (b) upon completion of 75% of such person's sentence, require employee or panel to reassess suitability for parole release of such a person, specify standards for reassessment, require board to articulate for the record its reasons if it determines that continued confinement is necessary and provide that decision of board is not appealable, added new Subsec. (e) to require board to hold hearing to determine suitability for parole release of any person whose eligibility for parole release is not subject to Subsec. (b)(2) upon completion of 85% of such person's sentence, require employee or panel to assess suitability for parole release of such a person, specify standards for reassessment, require board to articulate for the record its reasons if it determines that continued confinement is necessary and provide that decision of board is not appealable and added new Subsec. (f) to provide that a person remains in custody of Commissioner of Correction and is subject to supervision by personnel of Department of Correction while on parole, effective June 8, 2004, and replaced Board of Parole with Board of Pardons and Paroles, effective July 1, 2004; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to add Subpara. (A) re person convicted of a violation of Sec. 53a-100aa or 53a-102 and designate existing provision as Subpara. (B), effective March 1, 2008.

      See Sec. 18-100c re release of inmates with sentences of two years or less.

      Broad discretionary nature of statute does not grant inmate the right to parole eligibility after serving one half of sentence and there is no liberty interest in parole release. 281 C. 241.

      Board of Parole did not abuse discretion where there was misinterpretation of statute concerning parole eligibility unless petitioner served more time as a result of misinterpretation. 96 CA 26.

      Cited. 44 CS 417.

      Subsec. (b):

      Requirement under Subdiv. (2) that a person shall remain ineligible for parole until completing not less than eighty-five per cent of the definite sentence imposed not applicable to persons who committed offenses prior to July 1, 1996. 258 C. 804. Cited. Id., 830.

      Defendant's guilty plea for murder charge remains effective, even when trial court, in accepting guilty plea, failed to advise defendant that murder conviction would make him ineligible for parole pursuant to Subdiv. (1), as long as record indicates that defendant understood actual sentencing possibilities. 53 CA 90.