WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THE PROVINCES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ONTARIO, THE PRESENT PAROLE SYSTEM IN CANADA, OPERATED BY THE NATIONAL PAROLE BOARD, IS A FEDERAL CONCERN. THE STUDY OUTLINES MANY OF THE PROBLEMS OF THIS SYSTEM, SUCH AS EXCESSIVE CENTRALIZATION, SHORTAGE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAROLE OPERATION AND THE INABILITY OF PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS TO DEVOTE ADEQUATE TIME TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - POLICE, COURTS AND CORRECTIONS. TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM, CONSISTING OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL BOARDS, IS RECOMMENDED. LOCAL BOARDS, COMPOSED OF INSTITUTIONS WITHIN EACH REGION, WOULD HAVE JURISDICTION OVER NONVIOLENT PAROLE CASES WITH SENTENCES OF FIVE YEARS OR LESS. A REGIONAL BOARD, CONSISTING OF A CITIZEN AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL AREAS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WOULD BE SET UP IN EACH OF THE FIVE REGIONS WITH JURISDICTION OVER ALL OTHER CASES. FINALLY, A NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF PAROLE WOULD BE APPOINTED TO OVERSEE AND COORDINATE THE WORK OF REGIONAL BOARDS.