Since the Mattis ruling, the Massachusetts Parole Board has granted parole to 39 people originally sentenced to life without parole for murder, while denying parole to about a dozen others in recent months.

Following the ruling, roughly 70 inmates were identified as eligible for parole, with 39 already released on grounds they were emerging adults at sentencing.

Officials emphasize that parole decisions hinge on legal standards, rehabilitation, and public safety, and that many more inmates—over 200 statewide—remain eligible and await decisions.

Parole board releases have sparked backlash from prosecutors and district attorneys who argue parole decisions must carefully account for victims’ suffering and public safety, and should be based on case-specific considerations.

Massachusetts courts have ruled that imposing life-without-parole sentences on individuals who were 18 to 20 at the time of their offenses is unconstitutional, framing them as emerging adults.

A 2024 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision barred life without parole for adults under 21, altering sentencing guidelines for that age group.

The board says its decisions balance accountability, public safety, and respect for victims by weighing legal criteria, rehabilitation progress, and readiness for supervised release.

Critics warn the ruling could be misread as guaranteeing a right to parole rather than clarifying a conditional, evaluative process, with potential impacts on victims’ families and community safety.

Beyond individual releases, the Mattis ruling broadens parole eligibility, creating a pathway for hundreds of life-sentenced offenders to seek sentence reconsideration under Massachusetts law.

Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz argues the release framework could function as an “eventual get-out-of-jail-free card,” potentially neglecting victims’ families and public safety.