Prisoners serving life and long term sentences benefit from a fundamental right to have the issue of early or temporary release considered by a parole board or sentence review body, independent of the executive government, whose principal function should be to make determinations regarding the determination of life and long-term sentences. Contentious issues arise in states where the parole board or sentence review body is not empowered to determine the parole or temporary release date of prisoners, but instead is limited to making recommendations to the executive or government minister, who can accept a recommendation in its entirety, in part or reject the recommendation. It is imperative that the parole board or sentence review body is independent from the executive government and impartial in the decision-making process, otherwise the decision would be susceptible to judicial review by the national superior courts.