8. a. If the appropriate board panel determines that an adult inmate has seriously or persistently violated specifically defined institutional rules or has engaged in conduct indictable in nature while incarcerated, the inmate’s parole eligibility date may be increased pursuant to a schedule developed by the board. In developing such schedule, particular emphasis shall be placed on the severity of the inmate’s conduct. The board shall deduct from the scheduled penalty any loss of commutation time imposed by the Department of Corrections pursuant to R.S.30:4-140.

b. If the appropriate board panel determines that an adult inmate has made exceptional progress, as evidenced by documented participation and progress in institutional or community educational, training or other programs, the inmate’s parole eligibility date may be decreased, except that no parole eligibility date shall be set below the primary parole eligibility date without the consent of the sentencing court, which need not conduct a hearing and in no case shall a parole eligibility date be set below any judicial or statutory mandatory minimum term, including any parole eligibility date set pursuant to section 23 of this act.

c. The appropriate board panel shall annually monitor the progress of each adult inmate and provide the inmate with a written statement of any changes in his parole eligibility.

d. At any time while an inmate is committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections, the appropriate board panel or the Parole Board may require, as often as it deems necessary, that inmate to undergo an in-depth preparole psychological evaluation conducted by a psychologist.

e. Prior to the parole eligibility date of each adult inmate, an objective risk assessment shall be performed by board staff or by some other appropriate agent of the State. The risk assessment, which shall be in a form prescribed by the board pursuant to rule and regulation, shall consist of both static and dynamic factors which may assist the board panel in determining whether the inmate shall be certified for parole and, if paroled, the level of supervision the parolee may require. In addition to the information otherwise gathered for and incorporated in the pre-parole report, the assessment shall include evaluations of the inmate’s ability to function independently, the inmate’s educational and employment background, the inmate’s family and marital history, and such other information and factors as the board may deem appropriate and necessary.

L.1979,c.441,s.8; amended 1997, c.217, s.2; 2001, c.79, s.18.