Under present New Zealand legislation, an inmate serving a life sentence is not eligible for parole until 10 years of the sentence has expired, but there is no automatic release at this stage. Even an offender released on parole may be recalled to serve the remainder of his sentence at any time for violations of parole or commission of another crime (not necessarily murder). According to Department of Justice statistics, only 4 percent of inmates were released in the year following their eligibility for parole, 20 percent were released within the second year, and 39 percent within the third year. In making its decisions, the Parole Board considers the safety of the public, the welfare of the offender, the likelihood that the offender will commit another crime, and the nature of the original offense.