It’s the Law: Massachusetts Parole Board Must Respect the Rights of Petitioners

It’s the Law: Massachusetts Parole Board Must Respect the Rights of Petitioners

Started
October 31, 2019
Petition to
Massachusetts Parole Board
Signatures: 1,194Next Goal: 1,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Sofia Rose Wolman

(Petition sponsored by Project Operation Change)

Out of concern for the well-being and freedom of our loved ones and human family who are, have been, or will be incarcerated or on parole release, and for the restoration of relationships and society, this petition formally requests that the Massachusetts Parole Board (MPB) – empowered by Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L) ch 127 – review and answer all petitions and requests for termination of parole in a timely and just way.

M.G.L. ch 127, ss 130A states that the MPB “may, by a majority vote of all of the members, issue to a parolee under its supervision a certificate of termination of sentence, provided that in the judgment of the board such termination of sentence shall be in the public interest; and provided, further, that in no case will such certificate of termination of sentence be issued unless the parolee has completed at least one year of satisfactory parole.” Further, pursuant to M.G.L. ch 127, ss 130C, to achieve the termination of one’s parole, they must acquire compliance credits. Compliance credits (or “incentives”) include an elimination of curfews and stipulated group or program attendance, provide earned good time credits, and ultimately allow for the granting of an early certificate of termination of sentence. As a practice, compliance credits are not being equally applied to 2nd degree lifers.

According to a Public Record Report, 51 parolees serving 2nd degree life sentences have filed petitions to terminate their parole for various life circumstances. These people have already: (A) served 15 or more years in prison and (B) been on parole release from 10 to 25 years or more. Their petitions have fallen on deaf ears as the MPB routinely abuses its authority and neglects its responsibility to seriously consider and respond to the petitions. Generally, the MPB has a phrase: “Let it Sleep.” That is to say, the MPB logs petitions and ignores requests for termination of parole. 

Meanwhile, conditions of parole release require individuals to pay $80 monthly supervision fees. The Commonwealth accumulates $700,000 each year through these supervision fees, which place significant financial burdens on individuals and their families, with compounding consequences for failure to pay. The culture of parole release is often described as an abusive relationship between a person on parole release, their parole officer, and the administrative body. The PO’s discretion creates an interpersonal dynamic of domination that is enabled, enforced, and established by the punitive/criminal justice system. 

The 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to petition the government. M.G L. ch 127, ss. 130A and ss. 130C are the procedural processes through which people serving 2nd degree life sentences can exercise their right to petition the MPB for a certificate of termination of their parole.

By signing this petition, “We the People” demand that the MPB, as our substitutes and agents, respect the 1st Amendment rights of petitioners. We request and demand that the MPB review and answer petitions, with serious consideration of the inherent dignity of all people and with a high value on the principles of justice.

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Signatures: 1,194Next Goal: 1,500
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • Massachusetts Parole Board