VISITATION SUSPENDED September 4, 2020 - Out of an abundance of caution, visitation at all state-run prisons remains suspended at this time due to COVID-19. The Department continues to monitor the situation, and will update the public when we are able to resume visitation at Louisiana's state prisons.
Serving the citizens of Louisiana through informed decision-making in clemency pursuits, and promoting public safety and facilitating successful reentry for returning residents.
Parole in Louisiana allows a person to finish their sentence while under supervision of the Department of Corrections, Division of Probation and Parole.
View the processThe Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole meet at the Department of Corrections (DPS&C) Headquarters Complex, Conference Room B, located at 504 Mayflower, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802.
Both pardon and parole hearings are open to the public. Individuals interested in attending a public hearing should arrive at least 30 minutes early and must report to the Security Office for processing. All visitors are subject to search. Cell phones are not permitted on the Department of Corrections Headquarters Complex. Other items, which may be considered contraband, may not be allowed on the premises and may be subjected to security review.
For individuals who require special needs assistance, please contact the Board Office at 225-342-5421 or 225-342-9191 at least one week in advance of the scheduled hearing.
It is generally inappropriate for children under the age of 12 years to be present during any public meeting or hearing of the Board of Pardons and Parole, except when the child is a victim and chooses to appear. Due to security concerns, the number of people attending hearings, including victims and/or family members of victims, will be limited to 12 people for support and 12 people for opposition.
Parole hearings are generally conducted by a parole panel consisting of a minimum of 3 or a maximum of 5 members. The hearings are held by means of videoconferencing on regularly scheduled dates and times, with the Parole panel meeting at DPS&C Headquarters. The person in prison appears before the panel via videoconferencing from a prison facility, which depends on the imprisoned person’s housing facility at the time of the hearing. Please refer to Hearing Schedules for dates and location of parole hearings. If the imprisoned person’s family wishes to participate in the parole process, they are encouraged to attend at the imprisoned person’s hearing location. Victims who wish to participate in the parole process may appear either at the DPS&C Headquarters location or by telephone from their local district attorney’s office.
Clemency (pardon) hearings are also held by means of videoconferencing if the applicant is incarcerated. If the applicant is not incarcerated, the applicant must personally appear before the Board.
Both pardon and parole hearings are open to the public. Individuals interested in attending a hearing should arrive at least 30 minutes early and must report to the Security Office for processing.
Find schedules for upcoming Parole Board hearings, as well as decisions from previous Parole Board hearings.
*In accordance with Executive Proclamations JBE 20-30 and JBE 20-33, issued on March 16, 2020 and March 22, 2020, respectively, pardon and parole hearings will be conducted utilizing video conferencing technology during the pendency of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The hearings will be conducted using ZOOM Video Conferencing that will allow for observation and comment by members of the public. Please check the Parole Schedules & Dockets for more information.*
Pardon (Clemency) Hearing
The Board of Pardons meets on regularly scheduled dates for the purpose of reviewing and taking action on Pardon and Commutation of Sentence (CTO) applications, generally once per month. Please refer to Policies for more specific information regarding clemency hearings. Hearing dates are also posted under Pardon Hearing dockets and results.
Parole Hearing
Each person in prison whose sentence carries the possibility of parole has the right to an appearance before the Parole Board at some point during his or her sentence to determine whether parole will be granted. Parole hearings are generally scheduled within six months of the person’s parole eligibility date.
Parole Rehearing
One possible decision of the Parole Board at the parole hearing can be to deny parole. The person in prison will be advised of the reason for denial. The person in prison will have the opportunity to apply for consideration for a rehearing at such time as he or she is eligible to do so.
Type of Crime | Initial Request for Rehearing | Subsequent Request for Rehearing¹
¹Subsequent request for Rehearing may be submitted if initial request for rehearing was denied.
The application for a rehearing will be considered during an administrative review by a parole panel. The person in prison will be advised of when that review will occur. If a rehearing is granted, the rehearing is conducted in the same way as the original hearing.
Parole Reconsideration
A person in prison may request that the Board reconsider their decision to deny parole as described in board policy. However, this process does not establish a formal appeal process, as parole is an administrative discretionary decision that is not subject to appeal. Refer to Policies for more detailed information. Applications for reconsideration must meet the criteria outlined in Board Policy 07.705.
Parole Violations
When a person on parole is alleged to have violated the terms or conditions of the parole supervision agreement, the Division of Probation and Parole may request that the Board issue a warrant for the person on parole’s arrest and return to prison. If probable cause has been established and the person on parole has been returned to custody, then he or she has the right to be heard at a preliminary hearing, which is conducted by the supervising Probation and Parole officer as soon as possible after a warrant is executed.
At the preliminary hearing, the person on parole can be represented by an attorney of choice at the person on parole’s expense. The person on parole has the right to offer pleas (guilty or not guilty) to the parole violation allegations. After he or she enters a plea, the hearing official may take testimony from the person’s parole agent, the person on parole, and other officials as to disposition. A summary of this hearing is then forwarded to the Committee on Parole for consideration and decision.
Upon the entry of a plea of not guilty, the parole violation allegations may be set for a revocation hearing, at which time the person on parole can be represented by an attorney of choice at the person on parole’s expense. In rare circumstances, the Board may appoint an attorney to represent a person on parole during a revocation hearing. The person on parole has a right to present evidence to support the not guilty plea. Generally, the Committee on Parole will render a decision on the parole violation at the conclusion of the revocation proceeding. The person on parole will be notified verbally and in writing of the decision and the reason for that decision.
Parole Case Special Attention
At any time during a person’s parole supervision, the Parole Board may review his or her case. The review may be the result of recommendations from parole agents, a request from the person on parole, or occasionally from an outside source. In any case, new information must be presented which has not been considered at the last review of the Parole Board. This type of review can be either an administrative review of the file or a personal appearance hearing.
Act 714 of the 2012 Legislative Session, which became effective August 1, 2012, merged the duties, functions, and powers of the Board of Pardons with that of the Board of Parole, creating a Committee on Parole. Act 714 also expanded the membership of the Board of Pardons from five members to seven, with the additional two members serving at-large only on the Committee on Parole and who do not serve as a member of the Board of Pardons.
All members of the Board are appointed by the governor and are subject to confirmation by the Louisiana Senate. There are five members of the Board of Pardons. The Committee on Parole, a committee within the Board of Pardons, is composed of the five members of the Board of Pardons, and two at-large members appointed by the governor. The at-large members serve only as members of the Committee on Parole and do not serve as members of the Board of Pardons.
In addition to the appointed members, there is an ex-officio member of the Board. The warden, or in his absence the deputy warden, of the correctional facility in which the imprisoned person is incarcerated serves as the ex-officio member. The ex-officio member is not a voting member nor is he or she counted for the purposes of the members necessary to take Board action.
Members appointed by the governor must have at least five years of experience in the field of penology, corrections, law enforcement, sociology, law, education, social work, medicine, or a combination thereof. Appointed members also are required to complete a comprehensive orientation training program within 90 days of their appointment and eight hours of in-service training annually. Training components include, but are not limited to, the elements of the decision making process through the use of evidence-based practices for determining the risk, needs, and motivation to change; dynamics of criminal victimization; security classifications of people in prison or under community supervision.
All of the Board’s recommendations for clemency are forwarded to the governor for final action. There are no time limits within which the governor must take action on any recommendation for favorable consideration by the Board of Pardons. However, the Committee on Parole is the sole authority for granting parole in Louisiana.
To serve the citizens of Louisiana through informed decision making, thereby promoting public safety, addressing the needs of crime victims, and to facilitate successful reentry for returning residents who have appropriately prepared for community supervision.
The Louisiana Board of Pardons and Parole, guided by evidence based principles, shall:
We value Ethics, Integrity, Equity and Innovation.
Mrs. Ranatza retired from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections in 2011, after serving over 30 years in DPS&C. She served in a variety of management positions throughout the Department, with her last position being that of deputy secretary. Mrs. Ranatza was the first female in Louisiana to achieve the designation of Certified Corrections Executive by the American Correctional Association and is a member several corrections affiliated organizations. She was appointed as chairman of the Louisiana Board of Parole in February 2012 and chairman of the Pardon Board in August 2012. She was re-appointed as board chair by Governor John Bel Edwards on January 20, 2016.
After studying criminal justice at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., and completing the Calcasieu Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy, Mr. Wise served as a deputy in the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office for 18 years as supervisor over all uniformed divisions. He served as an investigator at Louisiana State Penitentiary after having completed the Corrections Training Academy. Mr. Wise was first appointed to the Louisiana Board of Parole in 2004 and was appointed to the Pardon Board in August 2012. He was re-appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards on January 20, 2016.
Victor Jones began his career with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office in 1977 as a dispatcher and a patrol deputy. He ascended through the ranks during his years of service, working in every department of the office. In 1992, Jones was selected to attend the FBI National Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Jones was first elected Sheriff in 1999 and was re-elected four subsequent times, the most recent election earning 91% of the votes cast. In 2011, Jones was enshrined in the Louisiana Criminal Justice Hall of Fame for his leadership in the promoting community and youth services as an integral part of a sheriff’s office. He retired at the end of his term in 2020.
Tony Marabella is a graduate of LSU, obtaining his Juris Doctorate in 1973 from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He has participated in all aspects of the Judicial Branch, starting as a Parish Attorney and moving on to serve as a City Prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney, and an Assistant Public Defender. He began his private practice in 1980 which was devoted almost exclusively to criminal defense. In 2003 he was elected Judge in the 19th JDC. While sitting on the bench he presided over the District’s Drug Court for 14 years. While he retired from the bench in 2018 he has served as an adjunct faculty member at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center for the last ten years.
Mr. Roche’ served as the director of library services at Southern University Law Center from 1990 until his retirement in August of 2007. Prior to becoming the director of library services, Mr. Roche’ served a variety of roles in the Southern University System, including associate law librarian and associate professor at the University Library. Mr. Roche’ received his bachelor of sciences degree in social science-history with a minor in library science from Southern University and a masters of library services from Louisiana State University. Mr. Roche’ serves on the Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole as the victims’ advocate.
Mr. Kelsey is a physical therapist with 20 years of experience, 15 of which were in his own private practice. Throughout his career, Mr. Kelsey has worked in a variety of settings including mental health outpatient, rehab, and acute care. Mr. Kelsey received a bachelor of science in physical therapy from Louisiana State University Medical Center and a master’s in general business and healthcare from Southeastern Louisiana University. Mr. Kelsey was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to serve as an at-large member of the Committee on Parole.
Ms. Wise began her criminal justice career as a probation and parole officer in the Monroe District Office of the Division of Probation & Parole. Her career spanned over 20 years. She served as community resources coordinator for the district and also supervised a unit of probation and parole officers. Ms. Wise received her master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Louisiana Monroe and is a veteran of the Louisiana National Guard. After her retirement from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, Governor John Bel Edwards appointed Ms. Wise to serve as an at-large member of the Committee on Parole on February 12, 2016.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 94304
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Physical Address:
504 Mayflower St., Bldg. 6
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: (225) 342-6622
Fax: (225) 342-2289
Committee on Parole Fax: (225) 342-3701
Crime Victims Services Bureau Phone: (888) 342-6110
Email: paroleboard@la.gov
Elizabeth Traylor – Executive Management Officer
(225) 342-9692
John Poche – Program Director – Pardon & Parole
(225) 342-5424
Lea Wroten – Program Manager – Pardon
(225) 342-5422
Kristy Craft – Program Manager – Parole
(225) 342-9191
Betty Williams – Parole Revocations
(225) 342-6623
Pansy Mercadal – Parole Hearing Dockets
(225) 219-3249
Phillip Thompson – Parole Hearing Dockets
(225) 342-3448
Makaylah Herring – Parole Violations and Warrants
(225) 342-0220
Sheryl Revere – Parole Violations and Warrants
(225) 342-1548
Taylor Green – Parole Hearings Dockets
(225) 342-6625
Theresa Doan – Pardon/Parole Hearing Recording Secretary
(225) 342-1550
Whitney Troxclair – Granted Parole Releases
(225) 342-6550
David Annison – General Questions
(225) 342-1552
Nicholas Jones – General Questions
(225) 342-1553
Tobi Robertson – Parole Hearing Dockets
(225) 342-6384
Natalie Verbois – Pardon Hearing Dockets
(225) 342-5421
Raphael Eaglin – Parole Re-hearings
(225) 219-3248
Julie Collura – LaVO
(225) 342-1570
Gail Guerin – Crime Victim Services Bureau Director
(225) 342-1056
D’Anna Lawton – Crime Victim Services Bureau Administrative Specialist
(225) 342-5723
Channing Blake – Crime Victim Services Bureau Consultant
(225) 219-3245
Sherron Blake – Crime Victim Services Bureau Consultant
(225) 342-1056