What to Expect at Your Parole Hearing
You’ve served a portion of your sentence in prison and are hoping for an early release. As your parole hearing date nears, you have the jitters just thinking about how things will go. You know that you’ll be allowed to make a statement, and that victims will have that opportunity, as well. There’s nothing you can do about what victims may say–you can only prepare yourself to make a good showing.
Are You Remorseful?
Perhaps one of the most important things the parole board will be looking at is whether or not you seem remorseful. They will expect a thorough explanation of the events that led to your incarceration, and will take a detailed look at your conduct in prison, including the programs and education in which you participated, as well as any trouble you may have gotten into. All of this will be weighed against any claims you make regarding your personal growth and reform.
Post-Release Plans
The board will also be interested in hearing about your plans once you’re free. Where will you live and work? What will you do to ensure you remain on the straight and narrow? What support mechanisms will you be relying on? Will you be hanging around with any of the same people that you got into trouble with in the first place? Have you considered the root causes of your criminal behavior and made attempts to address those issues?
Victim Impact
Certainly, the impact of your crimes on victims will be weighed, in addition to any details and special circumstances relating to the crime.
Risk Assessment
A risk assessment will take data about you and estimate the chances of your reoffending. It’s a statistical calculation that looks at your criminal history and other risk factors such as substance abuse, education level, job options, and more. It’s all thrown together to come up with a risk score to assist the parole board in balancing the value of granting early release against public safety considerations.
After the Hearing
Following the hearing, the parole board will consider your case in total and determine whether or not to grant your petition for release. If it is granted, you will be strictly supervised and will be required to follow expectations without fail or risk returning to prison. If it is denied, you’ll be given an explanation and can reapply at a later date if you meet certain conditions.
Fighting for You
The experienced Miami criminal defense attorneys at the Law Office of Julia Kefalinos know that a parole hearing is a big deal, and will be with you every step of the way to fight for the best possible outcomes for you. To discuss, schedule a confidential appointment with our Miami office today.
Source:
justice.gov/uspc/frequently-asked-questions
