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Nevada Executive Branch Agencies
Pardon/Parole and Probation, Department/Board of
Administrative History
The functions of pardon, parole and probation for remitting any judgment, fine, or forfeiture, as well as commutation of the death penalty evolved through various offices of the State of Nevada. Under the Territory, in 1862, applications for pardons were made to the governor of the Territory. In 1879 the Board of State Prison Commissioners was authorized "...to select a commission, two from the Senate and three from the House, who shall visit the State Prison and consult the warden, and ascertain if there are any prisoners, that, by reason of long confinement, or good conduct, or other circumstances, should in their opinion be pardoned...." The Commission was to file the report with the Secretary of the Board of Pardons, to be presented to the Board at its next regular meeting. In 1887 the Board of Pardons consisted of the Governor, the Justices of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, and the Clerk of the Board.
A 1931 Statute created the Board of Pardons and Parole Commissioners; amendments in 1943 and 1945 created the State Board of Parole Commissioners, and defined its powers and duties.
The 1956-1957 legislative session created two separate commissions: the State Board of Pardons Commissioners and the State Board of Parole Commissioners. The Pardons Commission, consisting of the Governor, Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Attorney-General met semi-annual to consider applications for clemency. The State Board of Parole Commissioners consisted of a chief parole and probation officer, who was to act as chairman, and four persons to be appointed by the governor.
The 1968/69 session created the Department of Parole and Probation. In 1993 the State Board of Parole Commissioners was created which became a division under the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety.
| Records Description |
Dates: 1865-1993 |
Volume: 99.8 cubic ft. |
| Board of Pardons |
1865-1918 |
5 Vols. |
| Minutes of the Board of Pardons contain agendas, reports, and hearings related to applications for the remittance of fines, commutation of penalty, or substitution of punishment. The series consists of five volumes: 1865-1888; 1875-1890; 1880-1895; 1891-1908; 1895-1902. Two files of Board of Pardons meetings, 1896-1918, are also located in the records of the Attorney General, in AGO-0298. |
| Parole Board Hearings |
1957-1958; 1977-1988; 1989-1993* |
83.8 cubic ft. |
| This series consists of agendas, statutory time hearings, referral and progress reports, reports on parolees and parole violations as well as parole revocations from the Nevada State Prison, Southern Nevada Correctional Center, Northern Nevada Correctional Center, Nevada Women Correctional Center, Southern Desert Correctional Center, and the various conservation camps, including hearings on parole revocations. Arrangement is in chronological order. |
| Parole Board Records |
1964-1967 |
1 cubic ft. |
| Files of paroled and discharged inmates, arranged in alphabetical order. |
| Closed Client Files |
1973-1994 |
14.3 cubic ft. |
| Microfilm copies of closed inmate files classified into parole, probation, expired parole, prison, expired prison, and miscellaneous division in period segments. Board Hearings, January 1, 1989 through June, 1993 |
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