Legal Question in Criminal Law in Louisiana

The Department of Corrections determines an inmate's release date. However, to give you an idea of how much time he may have to serve depends on how he was sentenced. If he was sentenced as a first offender, then he will probably be released after serving 50% of his sentence. If he was sentenced as an habitual offender, then his release date will vary and usually its about 85% of his sentence. The Habitual Offenders statute is without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. R.S. 15:529.1 This simply means that the Department of Corrections has the discretion of releasing him after serving a period of time or maintaining his incarceration for the full term of his sentence. You need to find out how he was sentenced before attempting to calculate any release date.