Do You Need Help With Parole?
Looney Smith Conrad & Hefti P.C., Parole Lawyer Houston TX
Experienced Texas Parole Attorneys and Parole Lawyer Houston TX
Since 1995 criminal defense lawyer Paul Looney litigated
60 criminal jury trials with Zero Final Convictions
Parole Lawyer Houston TX
Parole Lawyer Houston TX
Undoubtedly, most people incarcerated under the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are eligible for release before serving all the prison sentence. Accordingly, call Parole Lawyer Houston TX at 281-597-8818 for a consultation.
Indeed, parole allows people to return home to their families and gives them a chance to start over. All things considered, when and how a person is granted parole depends on the offense. Additionally there is a tricky calculation of “time served” and “good time.” Furthermore, a person’s eligibility date for parole can be found on the TDCJ website’s “offender search”.
Indeed, two things help determine when a person is eligible for parole. However, just because a person is eligible does not mean parole will be granted at that time. Specifically, the second part is dependent on the Board and whether they grant a person parole after they become eligible. Moreover, the Board has a review process to assist in determining whether or not to grant parole.
Undoubtedly, hire Looney Smith Conrad & Hefti P.C. Parole Lawyer Houston TX. Above all, we will work closely with you and your loved ones to gather information to be presented to the Board. Furthermore, we compile your information into a persuasive packet and present it to the Board during the parole hearing. Equally important, it takes time to prepare a proper parole packet; we need to be contacted well in advance of parole eligibility.
Therefore, contact Parole Lawyer Houston TX at Looney Smith Conrad & Hefti, P.C. if you are up for parole. Equally important, we offer consultations. Specifically, call us at 281-597-8818 (Houston) or text us at 405-388-6191. Specifically, we are Parole Lawyer Houston TX.
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
Significantly, the Board of Pardons and Paroles decides eligible offenders to release on parole or discretionary mandatory supervision, and the conditions. Specifically, research-based Parole Guidelines were used by the Board to assess offender’s likelihood for a successful parole against the risk to society.
Indeed, decisions are made by the Board whether to revoke parole if conditions are not met, using a graduated sanctions approach. And then, depending on the seriousness of the violation, the Board may continue parole. Additionally, the Board may also impose more conditions. Accordingly, they may also place the offender in an Intermediate Sanction Facility. What’s more, the Board may also use other alternatives to revoking parole and send the offender back to prison.
Parole Main Office: 512-406-5452 Parole Status Line: 844-512-0461
Revised Parole Guidelines
History
Before 1983, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles used Salient and Significant Factor Score Sheets when making parole decisions.
In 1983, the Board adopted the PABLO scale to aid members in applying similar criteria to parole decisions.
In 1985, the Legislature mandated that the Board include Parole Guidelines, with minimum release criteria, into parole decision-making. Based on research, the Parole Guidelines were to consider the seriousness of offense and likelihood of a favorable parole outcome.
In 1987, the Board combined the PABLO Scale with Parole Guidelines that measured parole risks to set a parole risk score.
In 1996, after conducting a study of guideline usage, the Criminal Justice Policy Council recommended that revised guidelines be developed. This was to ensure the criteria reflects Board policy, to apply the guidelines in a consistent manner. It also was to predict the risk of public safety (valid) to all candidates for parole (reliable).
In 1999, the Board contracted with Security Response Technologies, Inc. (SRT, Inc.), an 18-month, three-phase project:
- Phase I – A comprehensive review of the Board’s current practices as well as those of other states in using Parole Guidelines.
- Phase II – A validation test of existing guidelines, along with an evaluation of other selected factors to be used in assessing risk.
- Phase III – Training of Board Members, Parole Commissioners and Institutional Parole Officers in using the new guidelines.
January 18, 2001: The Policy Board adopted the assessment and design of new parole guidelines as submitted by SRT, Inc.
In 2010: the Board selected MGT of America, Inc., to conduct research and provide recommendations for updating the Parole Guidelines.
The 18-month initiative researched data on domestic violence, gender (female) differences, and security threat group considerations.
In 2012: MGT of America Inc. conducted research. They recommended change to separate risk scales by gender, which the Board adopted.
On April 16, 2015: the Board partnered with a consultant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Markedly, a new range of Recommended Parole Approval Rates was developed. Consequently, based on research, a recommendation was also made to change the final guideline level. Significantly, this went from 4 to 3 in the “High” Risk, “Moderate” Offense Severity position of the Matrix.
COMPONENTS OF THE GUIDELINES
Markedly, the revised Parole Guidelines consist of two major components that interact to provide a single score. First is a Risk Assessment Instrument that weighs both static and dynamic factors associated with the offender’s record. Additionally, the second component is Offense Severity Class.
Risk Assessment Instrument
Particularly, static factors are those associated with the offender’s prior criminal record. Nor will they change over time. What’s more, dynamic factors reflect characteristics the offender has demonstrated since being incarcerated and can change over time.
Static factors include:
- Age at first admission to a juvenile or adult correctional facility;
- History of supervisory release revocations for felony offenses;
- Prior incarcerations;
- Employment history; and
- The commitment offense.
Dynamic factors include:
- Current age;
- Whether the offender is a confirmed security threat group (gang) member;
- Education, vocational, and certified on-the-job training programs completed during the present incarceration;
- Prison disciplinary conduct; and
- Current prison custody level.
An offender can be assigned 0-10 points on Static Factors and 0-9 points on Dynamic Factors. Furthermore, a low score is associated with low risk. Equally important, the higher the score, the greater the risk the in granting parole.
As a result of the 2012 revalidation study completed in 2012, it was determined that a separate risk scale for males and females was necessary.
| Score Assigned Risk Level Based on the total of static and dynamic factor points, the risk level to be assigned to the offender should be determined below: |
MALE
|
FEMALE
|
|
Points
|
Points
|
|
| Low Risk |
3 or less
|
3 or less
|
| Moderate Risk |
4-8
|
4-9
|
| High Risk |
9-15
|
10+
|
| Highest Risk |
16+
|
N/A
|
Offense Severity Class
Significantly, the Board has assigned an Offense Severity Ranking to every one of the felony offenses in the statute. Additionally, offense Severity Classes range from Low, for non-violent crimes such as credit card abuse, to Highest, for capital murder. Markedly, if offender is incarcerated for more than one offense, the most serious active offense is assigned Offense Severity Class. Equally important, it is identified by the established list.
THE PAROLE GUIDELINES SCORE
The two components of the guidelines – Risk Assessment and Offense Severity – are then merged into a matrix. This creates the offender’s Parole Guidelines Score (at the intersection of risk level and offense severity in the diagrams below). Equally important, separate risk scales have been developed for male and female offenders. Parole Guidelines Scores range = 1, for an individual with the poorest probability of success. And then goes up to 7, for an offender with the greatest probability of success.
The guidelines are not automatic nor is the Parole Guidelines Score presumptive of whether an offender will be paroled. Parole panel members retain the discretion to vote outside the guidelines when circumstances of an individual case merit doing so.
RISK LEVEL
|
MALE
|
FEMALE
|
||||||
|
Risk Level
|
Risk Level
|
||||||
|
OFFENSE SEVERITY CLASS
|
Highest
|
High
|
Mod.
|
Low
|
High
|
Mod.
|
Low
|
|
Highest
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
|
High
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
|
Moderate
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
6
|
3
|
5
|
6
|
|
Low
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
7
|
4
|
6
|
7
|
Unquestionably, click here for more information:
Parole Lawyer Houston TX
For more information, visit the Texas Department of Criminal Justice website at: https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/bpp/index.htm
Generally, are you looking for assistance with parole? Call Parole Lawyer Houston TX today (281) 597-8818 or text us (405) 388-6191.
Certainly, we are Parole Lawyers Near 77079 and Parole Lawyers Near 77445.
When you need a parole attorney, our experienced parole lawyers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a no-obligation case evaluation.
Furthermore, we serve Houston, the State of Texas and the entire United States.
Indeed, call today for Parole Lawyer Houston TX
