Youth Parole Information

Since we’ve received many questions regarding this new term and what it means, we have included the definition as outlined in a new Administrative Directive from the BPH, issued recently. According to the BPH YPED is defined as (PC Section 2443) “the earliest date on which a youth offender is eligible for a parole consideration hearing, “and is set according to the following criteria: (1) if the controlling offense is a determinate term of any length, the YPED is the first day after the youth offender has completed 14 actual years of incarceration: (2) if the controlling offense is a life term of less than 25 years to life, the YPED is the first day after the youth offender has completed19 actual years of incarceration or (3) if the controlling offense is a life term of 25 years to life, the YPED is the first day after the youth offender has completed 24 actual years of incarceration.”
As to scheduling, PC Section 2444 notes that “Youth offenders shall be scheduled for their initial parole consideration hearing in the year following their UPED unless the youth offender is entitled to an earlier parole consideration hearing pursuant to any other provision of law.
Non-YOPH lifers or inmates enter the parole cycle about a year prior to their Minimum Eligible Parole Date (MEPD), so qualified youth offenders will enter the hearing cycle upon reaching their YPED or one year before their MEPD – whichever occurs first.
Inmates whose YPED occurs prior to their MEPD will enter the hearing cycle earlier than they would have otherwise based on their MEPD. Once qualified youth offenders pass their YPED, they may be released from prison prior to their current MEPD, if they are found suitable and pass both the Board’s decision review and Governor’s review processes.
Neither YPED nor MEPD is not a guarantee of a grant of parole but they can indicate when an inmate will enter the hearing cycle.