The Prisoner Review Board conducts monthly Public Comment Sessions in the cities of Derby, Topeka and Kansas City.  These sessions provide an opportunity to allow victims, family, public officials, community members, and other interested persons to express their support, opposition, concern, or comments regarding the potential parole of offenders who are scheduled for parole hearings the following month.

In addition to the Board members, a representative from the KDOC Office of Victim Services will be in attendance at each session to provide instructions and assistance. 

Notice of the Public Comment Sessions and a list of parole eligible offenders are posted at: Public Comment Sessions.  Public officials including District Attorneys, Victim/Witness Coordinators and other related correctional agencies across the State also receive notice of Public Comment Sessions.  Victims registered through the Department of Corrections Office of Victim Services will receive direct and confidential notification of these sessions (K.S.A. 74-7335). 

Instructions for completing a written comment form

Please use the offender's name, number and facility if known.  On the relationship line, please note your association to the offender.  Use the comment lines to provide the Board information not already included in the offender's file.  The Board will have information available on institutional adjustment and programs, therefore you will not need to cover these areas unless you have additional information.

Commenting in opposition of parole:

• Please discuss the present physical, psychological, emotional and/or financial impact of the offenders actions against you, your family member and/or your friend.
• State any special conditions you would like the Board to consider in the event that the offender is granted parole.

Commenting in support of parole:

• Please list specific ways in which you can provide assistance to the offender in the community if parole is granted (i.e. residence, job, transportation).
• Discuss changes you have observed in the offender.
• Note any of the offender's potential risk areas or concerns.
 

The Public Comment Form is provided in portable document format (.pdf) to allow you the option to download, print, fax, mail or e-mail your comments to the Prisoner Review Board. 

• Public Comments Form - Support Release

• Public Comments Form - Oppose Release

The Online Public Comment Form may be used to electronically send your comments to the Prisoner Review Board.

• Online Comment Form

Historical Overview of Kansas Paroling Authorities

The system of early release of inmates, which we know today as “parole,” can be traced to as early as 1864. At that time the Governor, vested with constitutional authority, enjoyed the power to commute or reduce an inmate’s sentence when deemed appropriate and advisable. To offer assistance to the Governor, the 1885 Legislature created a Board of Pardons whose function was to review commutation or pardon applications and report their recommendations to the Governor. This was a three-person Board, which met four times per year at the State Capitol. Each member received $5 per day for compensation.

In 1901, the Legislature again addressed the area of early release of inmates and empowered the Governor to set certain inmates free under circumstances and conditions quite similar to today’s parole. In fact, this legislation was the first to ever use the word “parole.” The Governor was required to make certain findings before authorizing an inmate’s release under this system. The Governor had to be convinced that the inmate had served an adequate amount of time to be reformed. The Governor also had to find that the inmate could be released without endangering the community and that the inmate could find suitable employment upon release.

As with today’s parole, conditions were attached to this privileged release. The inmate was required to report regularly to the Warden, refrain from using intoxicating liquors and gambling, refrain from frequenting places where intoxicating liquor was sold or where gambling occurred and refrain from associating with criminals and unworthy associates. An inmate could be incarcerated for violating these conditions and might not again be released until the expiration of his sentence - a much stricter requirement than today.

It was not until 1903 that a release procedure was adopted that was independent of the Governor’s power. The Legislature created a Prison Board comprised of the Board of Directors and the Warden of the Penitentiary. The Board could parole inmates who had served their minimum sentences and had secured residence and employment. Conditions were attached to those releases and revocation was available when conditions were violated.

More than 50 years passed without substantive modifications to the Prison Board or its power. In 1957, however, the Prison Board was abolished and the Board of Probation and Parole was created. This Board had five part-time members who were appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. No more than three could share the same political affiliation and the membership had to include an attorney, a minister, a businessman and a farmer. The fifth member was chosen at-large.

The Board size was decreased in 1961 to three members, who received an annual salary as opposed to the previous per diem allowance. As before, the appointments were made by the Governor and approved by the Senate. The authority to grant or deny parole, and the powers attendant therewith, were vested exclusively in this Board while the Governor retained control over pardons and commutations. After a century of development and growth, the parole system finally emerged. It was allowed to separate from the Governor’s authority and was acknowledged as an independent entity.

The Board of Probation and Parole had the responsibility of deciding who was granted parole and to supervise those offenders who were placed on parole as well as those offenders who sentencing judges had placed on probation. The supervising task remained with the Board until 1974. At that time, the Board of Probation and Parole was abolished and replaced by the Kansas Adult Authority. This Board had five members, with no more than three permitted to be from the same political party. One member was required to be an attorney, and two of the others from the fields of medicine, psychiatry, sociology or psychology. With the removal of parole and probation supervision from its jurisdictions, the Board focused on parole decisions, policies, and procedures, revocation of parole violators, discharge of parolees from supervision and review of pardon and clemency applications.

In 1979, the five-member Board became full-time employees of the State of Kansas.

In 1983, the Governor reduced the Board to three members and this change was ratified by the 1984 Legislature. Also in 1984, the name was changed from the Kansas Adult Authority to the Kansas Parole Board effective January 1, 1986.

Kansas Parole Board members were appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.  No more than two members could belong to the same political party.  Members served staggered four year terms and represented diverse backgrounds, professional training and experience.

The 1988 Legislature increased Board membership to five then during the 1997 Legislative session; a law was passed which reduced the membership of the Parole Board to four full-time members.  This reduction became effective in June 1997 effective July 1, 2003, the Legislature once again reduced the Board to three full time members. 

In 2011, Governor Sam Brownback issued Executive Reorganization Order No. 34 (ERO 34) which abolished the Kansas Parole Board and established a three-member Prisoner Review Board whose members are appointed by the Secretary of Corrections and serve at the pleasure of the Secretary. This change became effective July 1, 2011.

• Criminal History
• Education/Employment
• Financial
• Family/Marital
• Accommodation
• Leisure/recreation
• Companions
• Alcohol/drug problems
• Emotional/personal
• Attitudes/orientation

The goal of classifying offenders in the community is to reduce the risk of the offender committing new crimes and creating more victims.

• PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION - The Kansas Prisoner Review Board holds a parole hearing with a resident one month prior to the resident's parole eligibility date. Initial parole eligibility dates are based upon a resident's sentence length. Subsequent parole eligibility dates are determined by the Board. The Board holds a public comment session one month prior to a resident's parole hearing. Public comment sessions provide victims and other interested parties with the opportunity to present their views regarding the possibility of a resident's parole. The dates, times and locations of the public comment sessions will be provided to victims by the Kansas Department of Corrections.

• RELEASE ON PAROLE STATUS - discretionary release of a resident granted by the Kansas Prisoner Review Board after the resident has served at least the minimum sentence required by law. The offender may be returned to incarceration for violating conditions of release.

• RELEASE ON CONDITIONAL RELEASE STATUS - mandatory supervised release established by law that usually occurs when the resident has served one half of the maximum sentence. The offender can be returned to incarceration for violating conditions of release.

• RELEASE ON POST-RELEASE STATUS - mandatory supervised release of a resident who has served the incarceration portion of the sentence under provisions of the Sentencing Guidelines Act or whose sentence was converted to a guidelines sentence. The offender can be returned to incarceration for violating conditions of release.

• EXPIRATION OF SENTENCE - release occurring when a resident has served to the maximum sentence date.

• DEATH - notification of the death of a resident.

• ESCAPE - an unauthorized absence by a resident from the correctional facility to which the resident is assigned. Notice of an escape will be provided to victims as soon as possible.

• ASSIGNMENT TO A WORK RELEASE PROGRAM - a resident classified as minimum custody may be assigned to a work release program. The resident is employed in the community but must return to the facility during non-working hours.

• ELIGIBILITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK ASSIGNMENT - a resident classified as minimum custody may be assigned to supervised work crews outside the security perimeter of the facility.

• APPLICATION FOR CLEMENCY - request from a resident  for sentence modification requiring approval of the Governor.

You will need to provide your name and address to the Kansas Department of Corrections and the District/County Attorney's Office, and update that information when your name or address changes.

 For additional information, you may view our brochure, also available (En Espanol).