Opinion ID: 885758
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Liberty Interest in Good Time Credits

Text: ¶ 8 The Constitution does not, itself, create a protected liberty interest in good time credits. Wolff v. McDonnell (1974), 418 U.S. 539, 557, 94 S.Ct. 2963, 2997, 41 L.Ed.2d 935, 951. However, under certain circumstances, states may create liberty interests that are protected by the Due Process Clause. Sandin v. Conner (1995), 515 U.S. 472, 483-84, 115 S.Ct. 2293, 2300, 132 L.Ed.2d 418, 429. Campbell claims that Montana's good time allowance statute created such a liberty interest in the opportunity to earn good time credits. ¶ 9 Campbell committed his offense on or about January 5, 1993. The good time allowance statute in effect at the time was § 53-30-105, MCA (1991). It provides that: The department of corrections and human services shall adopt rules providing for the granting of good time allowance for inmates employed in any prison work or activity. The good time allowance shall operate as a credit on his sentence as imposed by the court, conditioned upon the inmate's good behavior and compliance with the rules made by the department or the warden. We have previously held that a later version of this statute, § 53-30-105, MCA (1993), creates a protected liberty interest in the opportunity for inmates to earn good time credits. Orozco v. Day (1997), 281 Mont. 341, 354, 934 P.2d 1009, 1016. The version under which Campbell committed his offense differs only slightly from the 1993 version and would, undoubtedly, fall within the ambit of our due process analysis in Orozco. Therefore, we conclude that Campbell has a protected liberty interest in the opportunity to earn good time credits while participating in Boot Camp.