Data gathered for our updated Parole Watch Report Issue II shines a light on the systemic injustices the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles hasn’t been able to right.
Through our continued investigation, we found that several of the concerns raised in our 2023 Parole Watch Report remain problems. Our updated report reveals that in 2025, 3 out of every 4 people classified as “low risk” were denied parole, keeping them from returning home to their families and communities. And while racial disparities in parole grant rates have decreased since 2023, white men are still more likely to be granted parole than Black men.

If “low risk” doesn’t mean a better chance of going home and outcomes still vary based on one’s race, maybe it’s time to admit the parole system deserves a serious reevaluation. Because calling a system “fair” doesn’t magically make it so.

Read the full report here.