Jon Erpenbach, Chairman
Commissioners
Regina Baldwin
Douglas Drankiewicz
Jennifer Kramer
Phone: (608) 240-7280
Fax: (608) 240-7299
ParoleCommission@wisconsin.gov
Dashboard of Parole Review Data in Compliance with Act 31
Meeting Notices
April 24th, 2024 Parole Commission Staff Meeting
November 8th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting
October 4th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting
September 13th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
August 2nd, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
July 19th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting
May 3rd, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
April 5th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
March 8th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
February 22nd, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
January 13th, 2023 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
November 23rd, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
September 28th, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
The July staff meeting was cancelled.
June 1st, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting
April 6th, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
March 2nd, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
February 2nd, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
January 5th, 2022 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
December 1st, 2021 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
November 3rd, 2021 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
October 6th, 2021 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
September 1st, 2021 Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
August 4th, 2021 - Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
June 2nd, 2021 - Parole Commission Staff Meeting - Minutes
May 5, 2021 - Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
April 7, 2021 - Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
March 3, 2021 - Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
February 10, 2021 - Parole Commission Staff Meeting Minutes
(3/19/2020): The monthly meeting scheduled for April 1st was cancelled
March 4, 2020 - Meeting Minutes
February 5, 2020 - Meeting Minutes
January 8, 2020 - Meeting Minutes
Duties of the Parole Commission
The Wisconsin Parole Commission is the final authority for granting discretionary paroles or early release from prison for sentences handed down for crimes committed before Dec. 31, 1999.
The Commission conducts interviews with eligible inmates sentenced to the custody of the DOC. A commissioner meets with an inmate individually and makes an independent decision on the possibility of a grant.
The Parole Commission is an independent commission attached to the DOC for administrative purposes but implements its statutory responsibilities independently. The Governor appoints the commission's chairperson with the advice and consent of the senate for a two-year term. Other commission members are hired in accordance with the civil service system and report to the chairperson.
Parole Commission Guidance Documents
Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 304
Wisconsin Administrative Code PAC 1
Criteria for Parole
Parole consideration is an entitlement, however, parole is not. Each case is measured on an individual basis and parole consideration is based on the following criteria:
- Reached their Parole Eligibility Date.
- Served sufficient time for punishment so as not to depreciate the severity of their offending behaviors.
- Maintained positive institutional adjustment.
- Completed assessed program needs with maximum benefit achieved.
- Completed and submitted a workable parole plan, which offers the inmate a realistic opportunity for a stable residence, employment, and programming, if needed.
- Reduced his / her level of risk to the public. This can be measured by considering his / her past criminal record, the institutional conduct record, prior probation and parole violations / revocations, security classification history, and if there are any unmet treatment or program's needs.
Also considered is information contained in the institution case file, the actual interview, and correspondence received both for and against release on discretionary parole.
Note: Letters commenting on the parole eligibility for inmates must be received by the Parole Commission office at least one month in advance of the scheduled eligibility consideration interview to insure that they are processed and forwarded to the institution and placed in the file prior to the eligibility consideration interview.
Truth-In-Sentencing
Under Wisconsin's Truth-in-Sentencing laws, any person who commits a felony offense on or after Dec. 31, 1999, and is sentenced to at least one year in prison will not be eligible for parole. They are generally required to serve the entire sentence imposed by the Court, with some exceptions for early release. Offenders who violate prison rules may have additional days added to the confinement portion of their sentence.
Upon completion of the confinement portion of their sentence, an offender must serve a period of Extended Supervision in the community under the supervision of a DOC community corrections agent. At the time of sentencing, a judge determines the length of confinement and the length of Extended Supervision an offender must serve. By law, the length of Extended Supervision must be at least one-quarter of the time of confinement.
Parole consideration exists only for offenders that have committed a felony before Dec. 31, 1999, prior to the effective date of the Truth-in-Sentencing law.