Board of Parole Hearings

The Board of Parole Hearings conducts parole suitability proceedings and nonviolent offender parole reviews for incarcerated adults under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The duties of the Board also include:

Conducting medical parole proceedings
Reviewing and conducting proceedings for Offenders with a Mental Health Disorder
Review the screening of sexually violent predators
Investigating pardons, reprieves, and commutations of sentence as requested by the Governor
Processing foreign prisoner transfer requests

The Board’s workforce includes 21 commissioners, appointed by the Governor and subject to senate confirmation, deputy commissioners, forensic psychologists, investigators, and administrative and legal staff.

The Board’s commissioners meet once a month to conduct an executive board meeting that is open to the public. Any member of the public may comment on Board-related business at an executive board meeting, although comments regarding specific cases are limited to those listed on the meeting agenda. Meeting agendas are published at least 10 days in advance of the executive board meeting.

Our Mission

The mission of the Board of Parole Hearings is to protect and preserve public safety while ensuring due process to all persons who come under the Board’s jurisdiction.

Our Goals

To maintain a high performing and professional parole proceedings and review system that protects California’s communities and is fair to all adult offenders.
To ensure and develop programs that promote shared responsibility for community safety and provide meaningful participation for parties interested in parole proceedings and reviews.
To allocate financial resources and personnel in an effective and efficient manner consistent with the Board’s mandates and the laws of the state.
To develop preventive strategies to minimize legal challenges to the Board’s decisions.

BPH Contact Information

Please submit all inquiries or letters of support and/or opposition to:

Board of Parole Hearings
Post Office Box 4036
Sacramento, CA 95812-4036
Telephone: 916-445-4072

Email Address: BPH.CorrespondenceUnit@cdcr.ca.gov
Public Records Request: m_BPHPRARequests@cdcr.ca.gov

Gavin Newsom

California Governor Visit Governor's website

Jeff Macomber

CDCR Secretary Visit Secretary's page

Jennifer Shaffer

BPH Executive Officer Visit Executive Officer's page