When states abolish discretionary parole, does early release actually disappear? In this episode of AQS Inmate Call, Joel breaks down a powerful, eye-opening brief by the Prison Policy Initiative that exposes the hidden reality of truth-in-sentencing laws.

Seventeen states and Washington D.C. have shifted to "determinate sentencing," but their taxpayer-funded parole boards never packed up and went home. Instead, they’ve become "hollowed-out" authorities—holding massive political power, managing dwindling pre-abolition populations, and maintaining abysmal grant rates as low as 1% in states like Virginia.

We dive deep into the failure of statutory "release valves" like mandatory supervision and medical parole (including a look at Arizona, the ultimate outlier with zero compassionate release options), and shine a light on the growing grassroots coalitions fighting to reinstate true retroactive parole.

True parole should be a reflection of who a person is today, not who they were decades ago. Hit play to find out how these prison policies truly reflect political power, and how we can safely build a path toward meaningful reform.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Read the full state-by-state brief and data appendix at Prison Policy Initiative.

Stay grounded, keep building coalitions, and thank you for listening to AQS Inmate Call.