It is possible to be granted parole on the first eligibility. An experienced Texas parole attorney discusses making first parole.
Yes, it is possible for an offender to be granted parole on the initial parole eligibility date. As Texas Parole lawyers we regularly have clients who are granted parole on their first review. However, it is true that for many offenders it is difficult and chances are low on the first review. One of the factors the parole board looks at is whether the amount of time served is congruent with the severity of the offense and the offender’s criminal history.
As with most things related to parole there is no single answer that can be generalized to every offender. Whether an inmate is granted their first parole will depend on many factors, including:
- The underlying offense
- The length of their sentence
- Behavior during incarceration
- Completed programs
- Strength of support system and parole plans
For instance, if the offender has a history of failure on community supervision, is incarcerated for a violent offense, and has been identified as a gang member they most likely will not make first parole. However, if an offender has no criminal history, committed a non-violent offense, has a strong support system and is able to effectively communicate to the voters why they will be successful on parole they have a much better chance. One of our top priorities is to discover these reasons and then effectively present them to the parole board.
I am reminded of a case where an offender was given an extremely long sentence that did not seem justified by the underlying facts. We were able to develop some of the underlying facts and mitigating circumstances in a way that were not by his initial defense attorney and he was granted parole after serving less than five years of a twenty five year sentence. This was a case where the client was arrested with many kilograms of cocaine and initially we had doubts that the board would grant parole.
Please call us at 888-661-5030 for a free consultation. We will give you an honest opinion regarding making first parole. We believe that our clients should be aware of what we see as the positive and negative aspects of a case so they can make an informed decision regarding representation. If hired we will thoroughly investigate the case, meet with the offender and family numerous times, and present the parole board with as much accurate information as possible to show that our client will be successful on parole. Our offices are in Houston and our parole practice brings us to units across the state. Offenders often have families in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and McAllen. Please fill out an online contact form and an experienced Texas parole lawyer will contact you shortly.