The Division conducts various types of investiga-
tions for the courts of Maryland, the Parole
Commission, and the Office of the Governor when
requested. Unless otherwise ordered, a presentence
investigation is completed for the court when the
sentencing of a defendant convicted of a felony in a
Circuit Court may result in the defendant being
remanded to the jurisdiction of the Division of
Correction or referred to Patuxent Institution.
When requested by the Governor or his designee,
the Division conducts investigations and prepares
reports on persons who apply for pardon, commu-
tation of sentence, or clemency. Investigations are
conducted for the Parole Commission to aid them
in determining whether parole should be granted
to persons sentenced under Maryland law. The
Division also investigates the home and employ-
ment proposals of parolees and probationers from
other states who want to live in Maryland under
the Uniform Out-of-State Parolee Supervision Act,
and at the direction of the Court of Special
Appeals, investigates, reports, and makes recom-
mendations regarding applications for review of
criminal sentences. A victim impact statement is
included as part of the presentence investigation
where a felony offense caused physical, psychologi-
cal, or economic injury; and a victim impact
statement is done when a misdemeanor offense has
caused serious physical injury or death.

The Division maintains field offices throughout
the State in close proximity to the residences of
large segments of the client population. Offices are
located in Annapolis, Arbutus/Catonsville,
Baltimore City, Bel Air, Beltsville, Brentwood,
Cambridge, Centreville, Chestertown, Cumber-
land, Denton, Dundalk, Easton, Elkton, Ellicott
City, Essex/Rosedale, Frederick, Gaithersburg,
Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, La Plata, Leonardtown,
Oakland, Prince Frederick, Princess Anne, Rock-
ville, Salisbury, Silver Spring, Snow Hill, Suitland,
Towson, Upper Marlboro, and Westminster (Code
1957, Art. 41, secs. 117A-131A).

MARYLAND PAROLE COMMISSION

Chairperson: William J. Kunkel, 1988

Jasper R. Clay, Jr., 1985; Harry J. Traurig, 1986;
Leronia A. Josey, 1987; Maceo M. Williams,
1988; Marjorie A. Jennings, 1989; John W.
Wolfgang, 1989.

Janet Q. Bacon, Administrator

One Investment Place, Suite 601
Towson 21204 Telephone: 321-3644

Public Safety and Correctional Services/297

The Maryland Parole Commission was created
by Chapter 540, Acts of 1976, to replace the Board
of Parole. The previous board had been established
by Chapter 457, Acts of 1968, to replace the Board
of Parole and Probation.

The Commission uses hearing examiners to hear
certain cases for parole release. The Commission
itself has the exclusive power to hear certain
serious cases for parole release and to conduct
hearings for revocation of parole. The jurisdiction
of the Commission extends to persons sentenced
under State law to any penal or correctional
institution, including local jails and detention
centers. It has the power to issue warrants for the
return to custody of alleged violators of parole and
to suspend or revoke parole upon a showing of its
violation.

Decisions of its hearing examiners, if concurred
in by the Commission on summary review, become
final. A final decision of the hearing examiner may
be appealed to a panel of Commission members for
review upon the record. The decision of the appeal
panel is final.

The Commission of its own initiative must
request the Division of Parole and Probation to
make such investigation as may enable the Com-
mission to determine the advisability of granting
parole to persons sentenced for a term of 6 months
or more to the jurisdiction of the Division of
Correction, or to any other place of confinement or
detention of violators of State criminal laws,
whenever the prisoner shall have served one fourth
of the term or consecutive terms in confinement.
The Commission evaluates information on the
activity of parolees as reported to it by the Division
of Parole and Probation. In addition, it causes
investigations to be made by the Division of Parole
and Probation for the purpose of making recom-
mendations to the Governor for his granting of
pardons, commutations of sentences, and parole of
persons sentenced to life imprisonment. The Com-
mission is also authorized to negotiate and execute
tri-party contracts for the release on parole of an
inmate at a predetermined future date, conditioned
upon the fulfillment of the conditions specified in
the agreemeni. The signatories to such mutual
agreements are the Parole Commission, the Com-
missioner of Correction, and the inmate.

The Commission is composed of a chairperson
and six commissioners. All are appointed for six-
year terms by the Secretary of Public Safety and
Correctional Services with the approval of the
Governor and with the advice and consent of the
Senate. The Secretary of Public Safety and Correc-