In the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, the board granted parole to 409 people and denied almost 3,600, a grant rate of roughly 10%, according to the Associated Press .
Grants from prior boards sometimes went as high as 50%. But paroles fell to 31% in fiscal year 2019; 20% in 2020 and 15% in 2021. Though there are guidelines for determining whether an inmate should be granted parole, the board has full discretion in making that decision. More and more, it opts for denial.