The Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole came under scrutiny during a hearing at the State House, as Chair Leigh Gwathney faced questioning over the board’s low rate of following its own guidelines and failure to update them as required by law. Gwathney was grilled by lawmakers who expressed frustration over the board’s decline in the parole grant rate since her appointment, as well as the lack of adherence to guidelines set in 2019. Despite promises of updating guidelines “very soon,” Gwathney struggled to provide satisfactory answers.
Members of the committee criticized the board’s low conformance rate with its guidelines, with Rep. Chris England pointing out the delay in publishing updated guidelines. Gwathney defended the board’s individualized approach to parole decisions, stating that they do not rely on quotas or statistics. However, concerns were raised about potential flaws in the guidelines, including instances where inmates with serious convictions should have been paroled based on the guidelines.
Legislators are considering additional oversight for the Parole Board, with Rep. England sponsoring legislation to address the issues raised during the hearing. Chair Chambliss has given the board until the end of November to provide answers to questions posed by lawmakers earlier in the year. The board’s handling of parole decisions continues to be a topic of debate in Alabama, with calls for reform and increased transparency to address concerns about the board’s practices.
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