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About The Board

The Board of Parole's long-term goal is to set the standard for parole boards in evidence-informed decisions, innovative tools, and effective operations.


The Board of Parole's major functions include setting release dates for individuals who are eligible for parole, establishing community supervision conditions for individuals, and assessing the notification level of individuals who have offended sexually.

Parole Hearings

The Board of Parole’s primary task for most hearings is to determine an individual’s efforts towards rehabilitation and the person’s current level of risk to reoffend. In the limited circumstances where the Board is tasked to determine an individual’s prison term, the Board is bound by strict sentencing rules that were in effect at the time when the crime was committed.

The Board of Parole makes release decisions only for certain individuals with aggravated murder or murder convictions, those who committed their crimes before November of 1989, and those who were designated “dangerous offenders" by the court. Prior to making a release decision, the Board of Parole will order that an individual participate in a psychological evaluation that includes an assessment for risk of reoffending. The Board of Parole evaluates the psychological evaluation and other available information along with experience and professional judgment in making final paroling decisions. Our contracted psychologists utilize multiple validated risk assessments in their evaluations to assess risk of future criminal behavior.

Post-Prison Supervision

The Board of Parole is responsible for setting supervision requirements and conditions for individuals releasing from Oregon prisons. The Board is also responsible for issuing warrants and approving sanctions for violation behavior up to and including a return to prison. The Board is not responsible for the day-to-day supervision of individuals on post-prison supervision or parole. Instead, the Oregon Department of Corrections and local county community correction agencies do that work. However, the Board maintains meaningful partnerships with the Oregon Department of Corrections and local community corrections offices to ensure the best possible chance for success as well as a seamless transition from prison into the community by using sound, evidence-based practices.

Sex Offender Leveling Program

Beginning in 2015, the Board of Parole is responsible for classifying all adults who have convictions that require them to report as a sex offender into a 3-tier notification level upon their release from the Oregon Department of Correction's custody. For all historical registrants who were on the sex offender registry prior to the creation of this program, their classifications are being conducted on a rolling basis. The Board of Parole uses the Static-99R risk assessment tool as an empirically validated measuring or risk of sexual re-offense. Since January of 2019, the Board of Parole holds hearings to determine if a registrant is eligible to be relieved of their requirement to report as a sex offender if they are assessed and placed in the lowest notification level – Level 1.  For historical registrants who do not have a level assigned to them yet, they can petition the Board of Parole to initiate the process of assigning them a notification level. If an individual has been assigned a level 2 or 3, in many cases they may petition the Parole Board for a reclassification to a lower level 10 years after being released from supervision for the sex offense. 


Board History

1905 Governor given power to parole prisoners. Courts given sentencing guidelines for bench parole.

1911 State Parole Board established with 3 members. First Parole Board appointed by the Governor.

1915 Board increased to 5 members.  Office of Parole Officer created.

1917 Board was reduced to 3 members. One member is the secretary to the Governor, the other two appointed by the Governor.

1931 Modern Probation Act passed. State Probation Commission established.

1939 New Board of Parole and Probation created, Director of Parole and Probation position authorized.

1941 Board given powers to establish rules covering parole of all individuals confined in Oregon for 6 months or more.

1959 Board increased to 5 members and terms changed to 5 years. No more than 2 members could belong to the same political party.

1969 Board became full-time paid agency. Membership reduced to 3 and appointed by Governor to 4 year terms.

1975 Board increased to 5 members, at least 1 member must be a woman.

1981 Governor given power to appoint 1 member as chairperson and 1 as vice-chair.

1989 Board name changed to State Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision. Parole abolished and sentencing guidelines enacted for felonies committed after November 1, 1989.

1991 Board membership changed to at least 3 but not more than 5 members.

2013 Sex offender risk assessment community notification levels established by Legislature.

2015 Board begins to complete sex offender risk assessments for all convicted and registered sex offenders in Oregon.

2019 Board begins holding hearings for people on the sex offender registry who petition to have their notification level reclassified to a lower level or to get relief from the obligation to register.