The 10-member Parole Board is divided into three-member panels. Each case is assigned to a panel and the decision whether or not to grant parole is made by majority vote of that panel. The exception to this procedure is lifer cases. All board decisions on lifer cases must be decided by majority vote of the entire parole board.

The factors considered by the board in making parole decisions include: current offense, prior criminal record, institutional behavior and programming, the parole guidelines score, information obtained from the prisoner interview and information from victims and other relevant sources.

The factors used to calculate the parole guidelines score are the prisoner's current offense, his or her prior criminal record, the institutional conduct and program performance, age, mental status and statistical risk classification.

Parole guidelines use a numerical scoring system designed to assist the board in applying objective criteria to its decisions. These criteria are intended to reduce disparity in parole decisions and increase parole decision-making efficiency.

Parole guideline scores do not require either an automatic parole or denial based on the score. Instead, the score is an objective tool the board uses in the decision-making process.

Parole may be ordered without an interview if the prisoner has a high parole guideline score (+4 and above) and is not serving for a sex offense or a crime involving death. Prisoners with a low guideline score (-13 and below) may be denied parole without an interview.

There can be a period of up to several months between the approval of a prisoner's parole and his or her actual release on parole. During that time, the prisoner's behavior is monitored. If the prisoner is involved in improper behavior or the board becomes aware of some other adverse information (such as a pending charge), parole can be suspended.