Parole support letter

What the board looks for

A parole board deciding on release wants to know whether the person has a support system waiting. The Texas and Pennsylvania parole boards both tell writers to describe the kinds of support they will give, such as money, a job, a home, transport or treatment.

Your letter is most useful when it names that support plainly and says who will give it. Offer only support you will really give.

What to include

A parole letter has the same parts as other character letters, with the release plan at its center. An address, a named employer and a start date tell the board more than “he will have a place to stay”, so be as specific as you can.

• The person’s full name and their prison ID number.
• Who you are, what you do and where you live.
• How you know the person, for how long, and how you have stayed in touch while they have been inside.
• That you know why they are in prison, in a sentence or two.
• A moment that shows who they are, or a change you have seen in them.
• Where they will live, who else lives there, and any job offer, with the employer’s name.
• How they will get to work, appointments and meetings with their parole officer.
• Any treatment, counseling or programs they will go to, and how you will help.

How to address it

Address the letter to the parole board by name, and begin it “Dear Members of the Parole Board,”. Put the date at the top and the person’s name and ID number on a “Re:” line.

Ask the board to consider who the person is and the support they will have, but don’t ask it for a particular decision. As with any character letter, don’t argue that the conviction was wrong or blame the victim.

Where to send it

Parole letters usually go straight to the parole board, unlike most court letters. Each board has its own address and rules, and some publish them on their website, as the Texas and Pennsylvania boards do. Check the address with the board or the person’s lawyer before you mail it.

Keep a copy of your letter, and sign it by hand with your phone number or address under your name.

A few clear letters

A few clear, concise letters are better than a petition. The Texas parole board says so directly, and letters that repeat the same phrases tell the board less than letters that each say something different.

If several people are writing, each should describe the support they will give in their own words. Our questions for a parole letter ask for the ID number and the support after release, and show your answers as a letter.

Questions