BOPP Puts Parole Hearing Schedules Online

Board of Probation and Parole (BOPP) Chairman Charles Traughber said, “Parole hearings are open to the public. By providing this service, we are making the process more transparent.” 

BOPP already notifies registered interested parties, such as victims, law enforcement, prosecutors and the court of record, when the offender in their case is scheduled for a hearing. But this new service allows anyone to check the hearing schedule at any time.

 

“Technology allows us to make this information available online,” said BOPP Executive Director Bo Irvin. “We want to use it to help the public stay informed.”

 

The online parole hearing schedule is organized by institution. Offenders who have been certified eligible for parole consideration, or who are scheduled for other administrative hearings, are alphabetized by name under the name of the facility where they are incarcerated. The listing also includes the offender’s prison ID number, the date of the hearing and the type of hearing that is to take place that day.

 

An initial parole or parole review hearing takes place for an offender who is eligible for parole, to determine whether he/she is a good candidate. Revocation and probable cause hearings are conducted for parolees who are accused of violating the terms of their parole. There are also several types of administrative hearings. Parole hearings are conducted by the Board of Probation and Parole, but take place in facilities where offenders are incarcerated. 

 

The Board of Probation and Parole (www.tn.gov/bopp/) is an independent seven-member board whose members are appointed by the Governor. The Board is charged with the responsibility of deciding which eligible felony offenders will be granted parole and released from incarceration to community-based supervision. Along with the supervision of those granted parole, the Board is also responsible for supervising felony offenders who are placed on state-supervised probation by criminal courts.