§ 11-13-3-3 — Release on parole or discharge; reinstatement; hearing; investigations; notice to victims and witnesses; criteria; conduct of hearing; denial of parole; parole of persons imprisoned out of state

(a) A person sentenced under IC 35-50 shall be
released on parole or discharged from the person's term of
imprisonment under IC 35-50 without a parole release hearing.
(b) A person sentenced for an offense under laws other than IC 35-50 who is eligible for release on parole, or a person whose parole is
revoked and is eligible for reinstatement on parole under rules adopted
by the parole board shall, before the date of the person's parole
eligibility, be granted a parole release hearing to determine whether
parole will be granted or denied. The hearing shall be conducted by one
(1) or more of the parole board members. If one (1) or more of the
members conduct the hearing on behalf of the parole board, the final
decision shall be rendered by the full parole board based upon the
record of the proceeding and the hearing conductor's findings. Before
the hearing, the parole board shall order an investigation to include the
collection and consideration of:
(1) reports regarding the person's medical, psychological,
educational, vocational, employment, economic, and social
condition and history;
(2) official reports of the person's history of criminality;
(3) reports of earlier parole or probation experiences;
(4) reports concerning the person's present commitment that are
relevant to the parole release determination;
(5) any relevant information submitted by or on behalf of the
person being considered; and
(6) such other relevant information concerning the person as may
be reasonably available.
(c) Unless the victim has requested in writing not to be notified, the
department shall notify a victim of a felony (or the next of kin of the
victim if the felony resulted in the death of the victim) or any witness
involved in the prosecution of an offender imprisoned for the
commission of a felony when the offender is:
(1) to be discharged from imprisonment;
(2) to be released on parole under IC 35-50-6-1;
(3) to have a parole release hearing under this chapter;
(4) to have a parole violation hearing;
(5) an escaped committed offender; or
(6) to be released from departmental custody under any temporary
release program administered by the department, including the
following:
(A) Placement on minimum security assignment to a program
authorized by IC 11-10-1-3 or IC 35-38-3-6 and requiring
periodic reporting to a designated official, including a regulated
community assignment program.
(B) Assignment to a minimum security work release program.
(d) The department shall make the notification required under
subsection (c):
(1) not later than twenty-four (24) hours after the escape of a
committed offender;
(2) at least forty (40) days before:
(A) the discharge or release of a committed offender; or
(B) the date of a hearing concerning a committed offender's
possible discharge or release; and
(3) if the date of a committed offender's discharge or release as
referred to in subdivision (2)(A) is changed during the forty (40)
day notification period referred to in subdivision (2), as soon as
possible but not more than forty-eight (48) hours after the change
in the discharge or release date.
The department shall supply the information to a victim (or a next of
kin of a victim in the appropriate case) and a witness at the address
supplied to the department by the victim (or next of kin) or witness. A
victim (or next of kin) is responsible for supplying the department with
any change of address or telephone number of the victim (or next of
kin).
(e) The probation officer conducting the presentence investigation
shall inform the victim and witness described in subsection (c), at the
time of the interview with the victim or witness, of the right of the
victim or witness to receive notification from the department under
subsection (c). The probation department for the sentencing court shall
forward the most recent list of the addresses or telephone numbers, or
both, of victims to the department of correction. The probation
department shall supply the department with the information required
by this section as soon as possible but not later than five (5) days from
the receipt of the information from the victim. A victim (or next of kin)
is responsible for supplying the department with the correct address
and telephone number of the victim (or next of kin).
(f) Notwithstanding IC 11-8-5-2 and IC 4-1-6, an inmate may not
have access to the name and address of a victim and a witness. Upon
the filing of a motion by any person requesting or objecting to the
release of victim information, witness information, or both that is
retained by the department, the court shall review the information that
is the subject of the motion in camera before ruling on the motion.
(g) The notice required under subsection (c) must specify whether
the prisoner is being discharged, is being released on parole, is being
released on lifetime parole, is having a parole release hearing, is having
a parole violation hearing, or has escaped. The notice must contain the
following information:
(1) The name of the prisoner.
(2) The date of the offense.
(3) The date of the conviction.
(4) The felony of which the prisoner was convicted.
(5) The sentence imposed.
(6) The amount of time served.
(7) The date and location of the interview (if applicable).
(h) The parole board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 and make
available to offenders the criteria considered in making parole release
determinations. The criteria must include the:
(1) nature and circumstances of the crime for which the offender
is committed;
(2) offender's prior criminal record;
(3) offender's conduct and attitude during the commitment; and
(4) offender's parole plan.
(i) The hearing prescribed by this section may be conducted in an
informal manner without regard to rules of evidence. In connection
with the hearing, however:
(1) reasonable, advance written notice, including the date, time,
and place of the hearing shall be provided to the person being
considered;
(2) the person being considered shall be given access, in accord
with IC 11-8-5, to records and reports considered by the parole
board in making its parole release decision;
(3) the person being considered may appear, speak in the person's
own behalf, and present documentary evidence;
(4) irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence shall be
excluded; and
(5) a record of the proceeding, to include the results of the parole
board's investigation, notice of the hearing, and evidence adduced
at the hearing, shall be made and preserved.
(j) If parole is denied, the parole board shall give the person written
notice of the denial and the reasons for the denial. The parole board
may not parole a person if it determines that there is substantial reason
to believe that the person:
(1) will engage in further specified criminal activity; or
(2) will not conform to appropriate specified conditions of parole.
(k) If parole is denied, the parole board shall conduct another parole
release hearing not earlier than five (5) years after the date of the
hearing at which parole was denied. However, the board may conduct
a hearing earlier than five (5) years after denial of parole if the board:
(1) finds that special circumstances exist for the holding of a
hearing; and
(2) gives reasonable notice to the person being considered for
parole.
(l) The parole board may parole a person who is outside Indiana on
a record made by the appropriate authorities of the jurisdiction in
which that person is imprisoned.
(m) If the board is considering the release on parole of an offender
who is serving a sentence of life in prison, a determinate term of
imprisonment of at least ten (10) years, or an indeterminate term of
imprisonment with a minimum term of at least ten (10) years, in
addition to the investigation required under subsection (b), except as
provided in subsection (n), the board may order and consider a
community investigation, which may include an investigation and
report that substantially reflects the attitudes and opinions of:
(1) the community in which the crime committed by the offender
occurred;
(2) law enforcement officers who have jurisdiction in the
community in which the crime occurred;
(3) the victim of the crime committed by the offender, or if the
victim is deceased or incompetent for any reason, the victim's
relatives or friends; and
(4) friends or relatives of the offender.
If the board reconsiders for release on parole an offender who was
previously released on parole and whose parole was revoked under
section 10 of this chapter, the board may use a community investigation
prepared for an earlier parole hearing to comply with this subsection.
However, the board shall accept and consider any supplements or
amendments to any previous statements from the victim or the victim's
relatives or friends.
(n) The board shall conduct the community investigation described
in subsection (m) if:
(1) the person was convicted of a crime of violence (as defined in
IC 35-50-1-2); or
(2) the person is a sex offender (as defined in IC 11-8-8-4.5).
(o) As used in this section, "victim" means a person who has
suffered direct harm as a result of a violent crime (as defined in IC 5-2-6.1-8).
As added by Acts 1979, P.L.120, SEC.6. Amended by Acts
1981, P.L.135, SEC.1; P.L.311-1983, SEC.34; P.L.131-1985, SEC.1;
P.L.151-1987, SEC.1; P.L.33-1989, SEC.11; P.L.138-1989, SEC.1;
P.L.36-1990, SEC.2; P.L.134-1993, SEC.2; P.L.1-1994, SEC.46;
P.L.147-1995, SEC.1; P.L.172-2001, SEC.1; P.L.139-2006, SEC.1,
P.L.140-2006, SEC.14, and P.L.173-2006, SEC.14; P.L.105-2010,
SEC.5; P.L.147-2012, SEC.3; P.L.55-2017, SEC.1.