Parole
The California Constitution gives the Governor authority to review proposed parole grants. After the Board of Parole Hearings recommends parole, the case is sent to the Governor.
Incarcerated people eligible for parole are entitled to release unless they currently pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. The Governor weighs numerous factors when assessing current risk level. The Governor’s parole review process can take up to 150 days following a parole hearing.
Give input
You may submit input about a parole case to Governor Newsom on our Contact page.
For information about attending Board of Parole Hearings Executive meetings and making public comment about a parole case, visit BPH Meeting Agendas.
Get information
For additional information about the parole process, visit the Board of Parole Hearings webpage.
To review the parole actions of someone currently incarcerated in a California prison, visit CIRIS.
To get technical help with parole, lawyers may contact the Office of the State Public Defender.
The Governor’s Office encourages crime victims, survivors, and next-of-kin who seek information about and support during the parole process to contact, and register with, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Victim and Survivor Rights & Services (OVSRS) or call 1-877-256-6877 (toll free).
Read the Governor’s reports on parole
- 2023 Executive Report on Parole Review Decisions (PDF)
- 2022 Executive Report on Parole Review Decisions (PDF)
- 2021 Executive Report on Parole Review Decisions (PDF)
- 2020 Executive Report on Parole Review Decisions (PDF)
- 2019 Executive Report on Parole Review Decisions (PDF)
For parole reports issued by past Governors, please visit California Agency Reports (Agency: “Governor”) or California State Archives.