In a notification that nods to the enduring presence of an older justice system, the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission has prepared the ground for the eventual release of Timothy R. Tan, an individual sentenced to life for first-degree burglary in 1980. According to a press release on the Department of Adult Correction website from the Commission, Mr. Tan has been approved for parole through the Mutual Agreement Parole Program (MAPP), set for October 5, 2027.
The Mutual Agreement Parole Program is a joint effort that involves not only the offender and the Parole Commission but also the state's Division of Prisons. It aims at guiding incarcerated individuals through scholastic and vocational paths as a condition of their early release—in essence, a contract to better oneself as a prelude to regaining freedom. This comes as a poignant reminder that despite the Structured Sentencing Act, which abolished parole for crimes committed on or after October 1, 1994, there exists a cohort of inmates, like Mr. Tan, who fall under the purview of bygone laws.
Mr. Tan's story stretches back to Edgecombe County Superior Court where, decades ago, he was found guilty of burglary in case 79 CRS 005998. His conviction on May 12, 1980, has culminated in this latest chapter—a testament to the lengthy tendrils of justice which now, in a sense, appear to offer redemption. It illustrates the ongoing responsibility of the Parole Commission to address cases ensnared by former sentencing guidelines, even as North Carolina's criminal justice system has evolved.
For those seeking to understand the intricacies of the parole process or the specifics of Mr. Tan's case, the state Parole Commission, has opened its lines at 919-716–3010.
