Eligibility & Review

In the state of Texas, things are fairly cut and dried when it comes to who is eligible for parole.  Parole eligibility begins with the Classification Records Department of the Correctional Institutions Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

TDCJ calculates parole eligibility for everyone in TDCJ with limited exception.

There are several things that determine the percentage of a sentence that must be served:

• Nature of the Offense
• Laws in Effect When the Crime was Committed
• Time Earning Status
• Good Conduct Time Credits

While good conduct laws are complicated, good time credits can be earned by taking part in assigned work or school programs.

Data Gathering & Interview

As soon as an inmate is designated as eligible for parole, the parole process will move onto the Institutional Parole Officers (IPOs).   The IPOs will gather information and interview all eligible inmates for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.  This covers 119 prison units across all 254 Texas counties.

Some typical information gathered by IPOs includes:

• Offense reports
• Medical and psychological records
• Institutional adjustment (in-prison behavior) records
• Probation reports
• Parole revocation information
• And more

IPOs also interview each parole-eligible inmate. These interviews often last less than ten minutes.

A detailed case summary is then prepared by the IPO which is submitted to the parole board.  The IPO case summary is not public information, like many TDCJ records, and cannot be requested or otherwise obtained.

Consideration & Vote

Parole cases are decided by the majority vote of three-person parole panels and are now typically circulated to each Board office electronically. Panel members review, consider, and vote cases separately. The lead voter is the first parole panel member to cast a vote on the parole case. Once the lead voter casts their vote, the case goes to the second voter for their separate review, consideration, and vote.

• Roughly 85% of annual parole cases in Texas are decided by unanimous vote of the first two panel members voting the case.
• On average, parole board members cast over 8,200 votes each year—more than four cases per work hour.
• Annually, 33% of parole cases are granted the privilege of parole. Of those granted parole, nearly 40% must complete a TDCJ rehabilitation program which last between three and 18 months before the inmate is—at last—released on parole.

When we represent your loved one, a written parole plan is submitted, we present our parole plans to the lead voter live, over the phone or in person at the board office.  These live hearings offer us another way to advocate the parole plan in a more efficacious, personal way.  This is a crucial opportunity to bolster the written plan in unique way.  When we present the parole plans, board members and parole commissioners take their responsibilities very seriously.  They are always professional and courteous, generous with their time, and always give their full attention. Finally, Votes are cast and decisions are typically made within one week of the parole case hearing.

Parole Approval Voting Options

Parole approval is not a simple “yes or no”. There is much more to it. There are even 11 possible voting options for the Board members. These approval voting options were enacted by Senate Bill 45 in the 74th Texas Legislature and are now codified in section 508.046 of the Texas Government Code.

How the Parole Panel votes is largely influenced by the case we present.