Chilean Chamber approves stricter parole requirements for serious crimes

The Chilean Chamber of Deputies has approved in general a bill to modify Decree Law No. 321, aimed at tightening the requirements for accessing conditional liberty for serious crimes and repeat offenders.

The initiative increases the minimum sentence requirement for applying for parole from two-thirds to three-quarters of the total sentence for a specific catalog of serious crimes. For offenses committed against members of the Carabineros, PDI, Gendarmería, Firefighters, and the Armed Forces while performing their duties, the requirement rises to four-fifths of the sentence.

Additionally, the project introduces stricter requirements for those convicted of terrorism or criminal association, as well as specific restrictions for recidivists. The bill also mandates that the families of victims must be heard when they request to intervene in the process. The measure is currently undergoing its first constitutional stage of processing.