Long story short, under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, Congress eliminated parole for federal defendants convicted of crimes committed after November 1, 1987. Congress eliminated parole in part because of a fear of unpredictable outcomes.The parole authority is empowered to deny parole if it concludes that release is incompatible with the welfare of society. A parole authority must also look into factors such as the nature of the crime committed, prior criminal record of the prisoner if any, intoxication at the time of commission of a crime.
