Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 961 - Trial and Proceedings after Conviction
Section 54-125. - Parole of prisoner serving indeterminate sentence.

Any person confined for an indeterminate sentence, after having been in confinement under such sentence for not less than the minimum term, or, if sentenced for life, after having been in confinement under such sentence for not less than the minimum term imposed by the court, less such time as may have been earned under the provisions of section 18-7, may be allowed to go at large on parole in the discretion of the panel of the Board of Pardons and Paroles for the institution in which the person is confined, if (1) it appears from all available information, including such reports from the Commissioner of Correction as such panel may require, that there is reasonable probability that such inmate will live and remain at liberty without violating the law and (2) such release is not incompatible with the welfare of society. Such parolee shall be allowed in the discretion of such panel to return to his home or to reside in a residential community center, or to go elsewhere, upon such terms and conditions, including personal reports from such paroled person, as such panel prescribes, and to remain, while on parole, in the legal custody and control of the board until the expiration of the maximum term or terms for which he was sentenced. Any parolee released on condition that he reside in a residential community center may be required to contribute to the cost incidental to such residence. Each order of parole shall fix the limits of the parolee's residence, which may be changed in the discretion of such panel. Within one week after the commitment of each person sentenced for more than one year during any criminal term of the Superior Court, the state's attorney of each county and judicial district shall send to the Board of Pardons and Paroles the record, if any, of such person. In the case of an inmate serving a sentence at the John R. Manson Youth Institution, Cheshire, or at the York Correctional Institution, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall establish, by rule, the date upon which said board shall notify the inmate that his eligibility for parole will be considered. At any time prior thereto the Commissioner of Correction may recommend that parole be granted and, under special and unusual circumstances, the commissioner may recommend that an inmate be discharged from the institution.

(1949 Rev., S. 8827; 1957, P.A. 461, S. 4; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 51; 1969, P.A. 575; 1971, P.A. 781, S. 2; 825; 1972, P.A. 25, S. 1; P.A. 73-116, S. 30; 73-667, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-336, S. 7; P.A. 80-442, S. 26, 28; P.A. 86-186, S. 19; P.A. 04-234, S. 2; P.A. 15-14, S. 37.)
History: 1967 act, effective July 1, 1968, included State Prison for Women, required quorum rather than majority of board to parole prisoner, deleted provisions for notice to State Prison inmate of parole eligibility and for notice to and action by state's attorney relative to paroles and added provisions re determination of date on which inmate will be notified of parole eligibility in cases involving indeterminate sentences at Connecticut Reformatory or Connecticut State Farm for Women and re superintendent's power to recommend early parole or discharge; 1969 act substituted references to Connecticut Correctional Institutions at Somers, Niantic and Cheshire for references to State Prison, State Prison or State Farm for Women and Connecticut Reformatory; 1971 acts added references to parole to residence in residential community center and replaced superintendent with commissioner of correction; 1972 act amended section to reflect parole powers vested in panels of parole board where previously parole powers were vested in the entire board acting if quorum was present; P.A. 73-116 referred to judicial districts generally, deleting specific reference to actions of state's attorney in judicial district of Waterbury; P.A. 73-667 changed effective date of P.A. 73-116 from October 1, 1973, to April 25, 1973; P.A. 76-336 deleted specific references to the various correctional institutions, allowed parole of person sentenced for life after serving minimum term imposed by court rather than after serving 25 years and specified that records of persons sentenced for more than 1 year be sent to parole board where previously such records were required to be sent in all cases; P.A. 80-442 deleted provision which allowed reduction of minimum sentence by not more than 5 years; P.A. 86-186 changed the name of the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Cheshire, to the John R. Manson Youth Institution, Cheshire; P.A. 04-234 replaced Board of Parole with Board of Pardons and Paroles, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 15-14 made a technical change.
Cited. 126 C. 220; 145 C. 60; 152 C. 601; 168 C. 389; 169 C. 263; 170 C. 129; 171 C. 691; 172 C. 126; 196 C. 655; 210 C. 519; 213 C. 38, 48. To establish a cognizable claim under the ex post facto clause, habeas petitioner need only make a colorable showing that new law creates a genuine risk that petitioner will be incarcerated longer under the new law than under the old. 258 C. 804. Cited. Id., 830.
Cited. 24 CA 612. Section “creates no protected constitutional or statutory liberty interest in parole release that gives rise to a claim of illegal confinement in a habeas corpus action”. 26 CA 132. Parole eligibility was properly recalculated under 1968 revision of section because Sec. 53a-35 does not apply to crimes committed before October 1, 1971. 133 CA 458.
Cited. 4 CS 365; 25 CS 477; 26 CS 176. Where defendant sentenced as second offender asked review division to reduce his maximum term on ground that parole board had denied him parole, held it is not function of division thus to pass on actions of parole board. Id., 196. Cited. 27 CS 327. Parolee, arrested on another charge, may be held without bail for reasonable time until board can convene, because restraint from violation of law is a condition of release. 29 CS 104. Life sentence reduced in accordance with Sec. 18-7 only. 30 CS 20. Cited. 31 CS 350; 43 CS 13; 44 CS 417.

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