Parole letters are used to inform the parole board why an individual should be released from prison.Parole letters are usually written by the offenders, as well as by people who know them and support their release.They may be written by people against the release.To write a letter, you need to organize your thoughts and use your own language.A letter that is written by someone else will not be taken seriously.
Step 1: Understand what you are saying.
There are a variety of reasons why offenders write letters in support of their own parole.One of the most common reasons is the fear of getting nervous at the hearing.You should write a letter if this is the case.Parole boards want offenders to say "Take responsibility" in their letters.It is not possible to plead your innocence or minimize your role in the crime.Express your remorse.You have caused a lot of pain to the victim and his family.How have you changed?Parole boards don't grant parole to inmates who promise to change in the futureYou need to explain how your life has changed while in prison.Tell us about your future.The parole board wants to know if you have realistic plans for a productive life outside of prison.
Step 2: You can search for templates.
There are sample letters written by other inmates.Ask your lawyer if he or she has any examples you can read.These are not usually real letters, however there are templates on the internet.You must write the letter yourself even if you find a sample.The lawyer should not draft it for you.You want the letter to be genuine.
Step 3: You can open a word processing document.
The letter should be typed instead of written.A typed letter will be easier to read.The size of the fonts should be readable.The Times New Roman is fairly standard.If you can't read that small, you should adjust it.
Step 4: The date needs to be inserted.
The date on which you are writing the letter should be at the top of the page.The address of the parole board has two lines beneath it.The packet of information you received from the parole board should include this information.There are two lines beneath the address.
Step 5: Identifying yourself is the first step.
You should state your name and identification number in the first paragraph.The date of your parole hearing should be specified.Jeffrey Smith is writing in support of his application for parole.My hearing date is April 22, 2016 and my identification number is 12345.
Step 6: Tell us about the crime and your part in it.
You have to explain the crime you committed in the second paragraph.The parole board does not think that you are shirking responsibility for the crime.You should write "I stabbed him three times in the back" instead of "we got into a fight and I defended myself by stabbing him a couple times."You should state if you were high or drunk during the crime, but don't blame drugs or alcohol.
Step 7: Express regret.
In the third paragraph you should apologize for the crime and the pain you caused the victim and his family.You might need to think over this paragraph for a while.It is difficult for people to express their sadness at what they have done.I never stop thinking about the people I ruined.I will have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life.I pray that the family rebuilds their lives.I feel sad when I pray because of the pain I have caused them.I would go back in time and not commit a crime.
Step 8: Take the steps to reform yourself.
Explain how you were able to rehabilitate yourself in the fourth paragraph.Mention things like religion, earning a degree while in prison, and meeting a mentor.If you want to assert that you have changed, you should describe the process.I had a seventh grade education and no interest in learning about anyone else when I was in jail.I worked in the library for the first year.I leafed through magazines but couldn't read what was written in them.You can describe how education opened your mind and helped you confront the reality of your crime.
Step 9: Tell us how you will achieve it.
The board wants to see that you have thought about your future.Unless you can point to specific steps that you will take once released, a promise to keep your nose clean is pretty empty.When I get out, I have a support system in place.I have a job at the Stop and Top.I am confident that I will do a good job as I have received several commendations for my work around the prison.I will be able to walk to work because I have a rental that is close to my job.It is close to my parents, who will visit me once a week, just as they have done while I have been in prison.
Step 10: Don't read the letter.
Make a promise to the parole board that you won't commit more crimes after you're released.Unless they are convinced that you will stay crime-free, they won't release you back into the general population.I can promise the board that I will not re-offend if I am granted parole.I have the tools to build a meaningful life for myself and my family.
Step 11: Your signature should be included.
Write "Thank you for reading this letter" and then move down a couple lines to insert "sincerely."
Step 12: Why were you asked?
Generally, offenders request letters from people who can show the parole board that he or she has a support system waiting outside the prison.Family, friends, faith leaders, counselors, and employers are included in the support system.If you want to know why you were chosen to write the letter, you can ask the person you are writing it for.
Step 13: It's a good idea to outline what to say.
You should sit down and think about the points that you want to make before you write the letter.Writing them down in bullet point format will help you remember.
Step 14: Get the deadline.
Ask when the letter needs to be submitted.Some offenders want all letters submitted to the parole board before a certain date.The offenders may find it beneficial to have letters submitted throughout the year.This will show that the support is continuous.
Step 15: It's a good idea to use letterhead.
You should use company letterhead if you are writing in support of your employer.You should have the letter notarized if you are an employer.Everyone can print their letter on regular paper.You can use it for your own letter if you are a business owner or professional.
Step 16: You should identify yourself with the prisoner.
The first paragraph should tell you who you are and who the prisoner is.You have to identify the prisoner by name and prison identification number.Ask the prisoner if you don't know the number.The sample language could be: "My name is Melissa Jones."I was the former employer of Jeffrey Smith.His cell phone number is 12345.I want you to grant him parole at his hearing on April 22, 2016
Step 17: Why do you support parole?
In the second paragraph, you should explain why you support parole.You can use your own language.You might support parole if you are the spouse of the prisoner and you need him back in your life.Jeffrey has never failed to express remorse for what he did, as I have seen him with the children over the past two years.He always reminds the children how important it is to listen to their teachers when he talks to them.The address, phone number, and names of other people in the home are things that you will need to include in your offer of a home.He has been offered an apartment to rent.The apartment is located in an apartment building that I own.He pays $450 a month in rent.The unit's phone number is XXX-XXXX.If you are offering a job, you should include the name of your business, its contact information, the type of work and number of hours, as well as the supervisor's name.Our phone number is.A full-time position unloading trucks and shelving goods is available.I will be his supervisor.
Step 18: Contribute support for the person who committed the crime.
You need to end the letter in a way that gives the parole board confidence that the person will not commit more crimes if released.I assure you that Jeffrey has a support system in place should he be granted parole.I, along with his family, will help him build a productive life.
Step 19: The letter needs to be translated.
If you don't know how to write in English, then you should write the letter in your native language.It's important that the translation is done by a professional and not a family member.Attach a letter of translation.The translator will sign the letter in front of the public.A sample certificate of translation can be found at http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2013/09/30/certoftranslation.
Step 20: Send the letter.
The letter should be sent to the parole board.Ask who you should send it to.You can use an online system to submit letters.New York has one such system.The New York system limits the length of any letter and may be best used by the general public.If the person wants you to write a specific letter, then you should submit a hard copy letter.
Step 21: Think about testifying.
You might want to write a letter against parole if you were the victim of the crime.You can definitely do that.You should think about going to the parole hearing and testifying in person.Live testimony can be more effective.The human costs of the crime can be obscured by letters.Your testimony in person will show how damaging the crime has been.Some people can't deliver a live statement.The victim of the crime can often give a victim impact statement in person.If this is an option that interests you, you should check with the parole board to see who can testify in person.
Step 22: Introduce yourself.
If you write a letter, you should know who you are and your relationship to the victim.Kathy Johnson is the mother of April Johnson, who was killed by her ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey Smith, on November 15, 1999.I am writing a letter to explain why I oppose Jeffrey Smith's petition for parole.
Step 23: Tell us your version of the crime.
You can explain what happened if you are the victim.You can give a summary of the crime based on what you heard at trial if you are a family member.As graphic as you need to be.You want the parole board to be angry.
Step 24: The victim should be described.
You should make sure that the parole board has a strong image of the victim in their mind as they make a decision.You can't speak for the victim if the prisoner killed them.The parole board needs to have a sense of the life that the victim snuffed out.Be specific.The victim should look like a breathing person.Explain his or her hobbies, hopes and achievements.
Step 25: Discuss the impact the crime has had on you.
The toll the crime has taken on you should be explained to the parole board.A rape victim might write, "I wish I could say that the pain I felt ended when he raped me."I have been through a lot since then.I have been in counseling for several years and have trouble maintaining a healthy body weight because of the sexual assault.
Step 26: Why do you think the person is not rehabilitated?
The parole board should be aware of any facts that show the person has not really rehabilitated himself.The person claims that he has turned his life around.Jeffrey is claiming to be a changed man, but I don't think he has learned anything.He tried to downplay his role in the crime in an interview with the local paper last year.He couldn't even say my daughter's name.The parole board needs to be aware of this information as well.
Step 27: Request that parole be denied.
The letter should be closed with a request that the prisoner be denied parole.Talk about the fear his or her release would cause.I was not able to sleep after my daughter died.The fact that Jeffrey was locked up made little difference.All of the old nightmares will return if he is released from prison.I hope that you will deny him parole so that another mother won't have to go through what I have gone through.