Mass. Parole Rate Raises Questions About New Board

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts Parole Board Chairman Joshua Wall says the board has established guidelines to make more informed decisions but some are concerned too few prisoners are being paroled.

The Governor's Council, which vets Gov. Deval Patrick's parole board nominees, questioned Wall Wednesday about the board's composition, goals, and its release of 39 percent of eligible prisoners from state prisons so far in 2011.

Some council members said they were concerned that the rate, which was 58 percent in 2010, suggests a change in tone of the board. Some said too many members had law enforcement backgrounds and worried prisoners are not getting a fair chance at supervised release.

Wall who was appointed this year along with five others, said the board is focused on making fair, fact-based decisions regardless of statistics.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)