Parole Guidelines: 2022 Update

Overview of the Parole Guidelines

Every year, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles releases an update on their parole guidelines. This update includes the approval rates for all of the Parole Board members, as well as an explanation of the point system they use. In this article, we will break down the 2022 parole guidelines and how they can affect your loved one’s parole eligibility.

Static and Dynamic Factors

When voting on parole, the Board uses two kinds of factors, static and dynamic. Static factors are related to an offender’s prior criminal record. For example, previous prison time or parole release. The Board gives static factors a score between 0-10, with 0 being low risk and 10 being high risk. Dynamic factors are based on a person’s time while in TDCJ. Examples of these are current age, gang affiliation, and completed certifications. The Board gives dynamic factors a score between 0-9. The static and dynamic scores are then added into a single score. The chart below shows the combined scores and their assigned risk for both men and women. Each range is then assigned a number 1-7 to be evaluated base on the Offense Severity.

Approval Rates

In the year 2020, the Board voted on a total of 77,508 cases. Of these, the Board only approved 29,901. That is a total approval rate of 38.5%. For lower risk cases, the board tends to grant more people parole than high risk cases. The chart below, courtesy of the 2022 update, shows the approval rates for each Severity Level.

For more information regarding specific Parole Board member approval rates, please visit the Board of Pardons and Paroles website here.

How We Can Help

At Cox Law Firm, we know that you are looking for the easiest and quickest way to have your loved one granted parole. We help to asses their likelihood based off of the Board’s factors, and assist you through the parole process. Contact us today to see how we can help.