How to Help Your Loved One Through the Texas Parole Process: A Simple Guide

When someone you love is in jail, you might feel helpless. But you can make a big difference in the Texas parole process. Parole is a way for them to get out early and come home, but they have to follow rules outside. This guide explains the steps in plain words so you can help them get ready. Let’s go through it together.

When someone you love is in jail, you might feel helpless. But you can make a big difference in the Texas parole process. Parole is a way for them to get out early and come home, but they have to follow rules outside. This guide explains the steps in plain words so you can help them get ready. Let’s go through it together.

Step 1: Finding Out If They Are Eligible for Parole

Parole is the conditional release of an inmate from prison granted by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to serve the rest of his sentence under community supervision. Unless convicted of a crime for which parole eligibility is extended or denied, your loved one will be eligible for parole when his jail time credit awarded (if any), calendar time served in TDCJ, good conduct time credit, and work time credit add up to 25% of the sentence for their controlling offense.

Ask an experienced parole lawyer for help calculating this date. Lawyers know the rules and can tell you if it is time to start planning. If your loved one is already in TDCJ, eligibility dates can also be found using TDCJ’s site.

Step 2: Getting Ready for the IPO Interview

Before their parole vote, a worker called an Institutional Parole Officer (IPO) will interview your loved one. These interviews typically take 10 minutes or less and involve questions about their offense, remorse, and living/work arrangements. They prepare a comprehensive case summary that addresses your loved one’s conduct and work in TDCJ, rehabilitation efforts, and risk factors for the parole board’s consideration.

You can help your loved one get ready. Tell them to talk about classes they took or work they did inside. They should be honest about their mistakes too. Our experienced parole attorneys are familiar with this process.

Step 3: The Parole Board Reviews Their File

A panel of three parole board members will review your loved one’s file. When the parole panel votes, the majority rules. Two out of the three members must vote to grant or deny parole. There are factors, offense severity, and a risk assessment instrument that the parole panel considers in addition to other documents in your loved one’s file.

Step 4: Planning for When They Get Out

Your loved one needs a comprehensive plan for what his life will look like if granted parole. This is where you can really help. They need support letters, a place to live, and job opportunities, if possible. Not only can a parole lawyer prepare a compelling parole plan that includes all this for your loved one, but attorneys get to speak directly to the lead voter of the panel considering your loved one for parole.

Step 5: Waiting for the Big Decision

After considering everything, the parole panel members vote. If the majority votes to grant parole, your loved one will get a paper saying when they can leave, what programs they must complete, if any, before being released on parole, and what rules they must follow. If parole is denied, your loved one may be set off from one to five years before being eligible for parole again.

Easy Ways You Can Help

Here is how you can make the Texas parole process better for them:

• Tell them to stay out of trouble in jail.
• Encourage them to take classes and work inside.
• Gather and submit support and employment offer letters.
• Get an experienced parole lawyer to guide you and your loved one through this process—they are experts at this.

The process can feel big and scary, but you do not have to figure it out alone.

A lawyer can help you every step of the way and put your loved one’s case in a favorable light.

Why Your Help Counts

Parole is about giving your loved one a fresh start. The board wants to know the public will be safe and your loved one will follow the rules and conditions of parole. By helping with these steps, you show them your loved one has support.

NOTICE: This blog post is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. It is only here to teach you about the Texas parole process. Things might be different for your loved one’s case. Always hire an experienced parole lawyer to help you. They know the rules and can give you the best shot at success.