Overview

Welcome to the Board of Pardons and Parole website. This site is designed to provide valuable, easy-to-use information and to answer common questions about the Board and the critical work it does.

The Board’s primary responsibility in making decisions about parole and executive clemency is public safety. Montana law states that the board may release any person committed to prison when the Board believes:

• the person is able and willing to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen and the inmate can be released without detriment to the inmate or to the community. This does not apply to anyone who is under the sentence of death or a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Additionally, the person must have served at least one-fourth of his/her sentence or if he/she has a life sentence, at least 30 years must have been served.

Parole and executive clemency are privileges, not rights, earned by inmates convicted of felony crimes. As part of the criminal justice system, the Board is doing its part by following the appropriate laws, releasing deserving offenders to community placements, and keeping undeserving or dangerous inmates in prison. The Board also promptly returns to custody offenders who prove to be unwilling to abide by the conditions of their release.

Parole Board Members

Board Staff

The Board staff:

• Michael Buckley, Chief of Staff
• Christie Slaughter, Victim/Witness Coordinator
• Steve Peek, Institutional Screening Coordinator
• Cathy Leaver, Administrative Specialist
• Tanya Brackenbury, Victim/Witness Coordinator
• Chandler Middlemas, Administrative Assistant
• Audrey Morrison, Administrative Assistant

Accreditation

The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole is pending accreditation with the American Correctional Association. 

Contact the Board

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to write, email or phone the Board’s office.

Click here to view the BOPP org chart.