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The Idaho legislature has instructed the Parole Commission to promulgate rules that establish guidelines and procedures for parole decision-making. The Parole Commission will review a general risk assessment for each offender, and will give consideration to the following:
- Prior criminal history
- Institutional behavior
- Seriousness of the crime and aggravation or mitigation involved in the crime
- Failure or success of past probation and parole
- Evidence of the development of a positive social attitude and the willingness to fulfill the obligations of a good citizen
- Information or reports regarding physical or psychological condition
- Strength and stability of the proposed parole plan
- Program completion
- Any other individual factors that bear on whether a release to parole is appropriate
The Parole Commission has complete discretion to grant or deny parole in any individual case and there is no presumption, expectation or right that parole will be granted. The Parole Commission may require the offender to serve the maximum period of incarceration authorized by the court.
Once parole is granted, the Commission will assign special conditions for the parolee to follow while on parole supervision. A Parole Officer is assigned to that parolee and is responsible for supervision and reporting back to Commission if violations occur. Parole Officers are employees of the Idaho Department of Correction, but work in conjunction with the Commission to provide supervision. It is the intent of the Legislature to focus prison space on the most violent or greatest risk offenders. Parole decisions take this into account, as well as the likelihood of an individual offending in the future by considering the above criteria in all cases.