What do I have to show in order to get parole granted?

When a defendant is sentenced to a prison term, he is supposed to complete all of the required time. But, the reality is that prisons are overcrowded and many jurisdictions look for ways they can release certain offenders. Some states allow prisoners to get out early for good behavior. When an individual has not completed their entire sentence, he may be allowed out of prison but will remain on parole. Although parole is not allowed for offenders who are convicted of federal crimes, most states still offer some type of early release, which is decided by a parole board or commission.

Getting Released on Parole

The key elements for parole to be granted usually center around the type of offense that was committed and whether the inmate poses a continued threat to the community. It is much less expensive to supervise a parolee than to keep them incarcerated. The laws regarding parole may vary in each state, but most parole boards take the following factors into consideration when deciding whether to grant parole:

• Whether the individual has made an effort to rehabilitate themselves through educational classes and work programs
• Whether crime he committed was non-violent in nature (some states require inmates to serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole while others don’t grant parole to any violent offender)
• Whether he has made restitution to the victims involved
• Whether he demonstrated remorse for the crime committed

When an inmate is denied early release, his case is automatically presented to the parole board on an annual basis as long as he remains eligible. If the person is granted parole, he is assigned a parole officer who is tasked with supervising the offender.

How a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help

Most inmates are not allowed legal representation at their parole hearing. When you obtain advice from an experienced attorney, they can tell you what the parole board will be looking for in order to grant early release.