Utah Board of Pardons & Parole
Types of Decisions Made by the Board
Board Decisions
There are a variety of decisions the Board of Pardons and Parole can make as it reviews and considers individual cases. This page provides information about what types of decisions are made and what those decisions mean.
Grant Parole
"Parole" is supervision of individuals in the community after release from prison that occurs prior to the termination or expiration of a sentence. On parole, the individual will be supervised by the Division of Adult Probation and Parole, which is part of the Utah Department of Corrections. The Board will establish the conditions an individual must follow while back in the community. Some of these conditions are standard parole conditions, but the Board may also establish special parole conditions that the individual must follow while on supervision.
Grant Sentence Termination
The Board can grant the termination (or ending) of a sentence before the sentence's expiration date. Once the sentence termination has been granted, the individual is no longer incarcerated or supervised in the community for the sentence that has been terminated.
Schedule a Rehearing
Rather than being released from prison on parole or having a sentence terminated, the Board may schedule another hearing. This allows the Board to review the individual's sentence, progress made on treatment and/or education, behavior while incarcerated, and the potential risk the individual may pose to members of the community.
When a sentencing guideline date or total minimum sentences are far in the future at the time of a hearing, the Board will typically schedule a rehearing, allowing for another hearing to take place closer to a potential release date.
If the Board decides that specific programs or treatment (such as sex offender treatment) must be completed before prison release will be considered, they will schedule a rehearing with sufficient time for the individual to complete the required programs or treatment, and then conduct the next hearing.
Deny Release
In situations where the Board decides to deny a prison release, the individual will expire their sentence - or complete the full amount of time imposed by the court at sentencing.