In your letter, share:

• Why your loved one is ready for parole;
• How they’ve changed during incarceration; and
• The support you will provide after release.

Make the letter personal, specific, and 100% truthful. Only include information you’re comfortable sharing.

The Letter of Support Guide below will help you think through what you might include in your letter. Do not submit the guide to the Parole Board. Instead, write out your final letter on a separate document before mailing it to the Parole Board office. 

Letter of Support Guide

This is their one chance to speak directly to the voters. Their parole letter should include:

1. Self-Reflection and Remorse:
   • Acknowledge criminal history and any substance use;
   • Share life circumstances that impacted decisions (without making excuses);
   • Express genuine remorse; and
   • Give examples of how remorse has impacted their behavior or decision-making (e.g., differences in interactions with others or how they handle stress).
2. Evidence of Change:
   • Share how they developed a new mindset or change in behavior; 
   • Give examples of personal growth;
   • List important information and skills
   • Share how their personal growth will help them upon their release. 
3. Reentry Plan Details:
   • Explain where they plan to live; and
   • Describe how they will work and stay supported.

If there is a history of substance use, your loved one should write about the range of recovery supports they will have in place for when they release (e.g., AA/NA, sponsors, sober living house). 

If your loved one has previously been revoked from parole or probation, they should share how their current reentry plan is different from their past reentry plan(s) to ensure they will succeed on parole. 

Finally, your loved one should share any short and long-term goals they have. If they are planning on going to school, participating in any vocational training, pursuing a specific career, volunteering in their community, or reconnecting with family, that should be mentioned. 

Some records can provide important details your loved one may not remember, confirm dates, and show information the Parole Board will review. Useful documents include:

• TDCJ Records: Pen Packet (timesheet, sentencing details, disciplinary history), Individual Treatment Plan (required programming), and parole records (previous parole history, if applicable).
• County Records: Court documents (sentencing papers, police reports, probation records).
• Medical Records: UTMB records (healthcare received in TDCJ), especially for medical or mental health conditions.
• Educational Records: Windham School District records (educational programs completed in TDCJ).

You'll need to submit requests by email or mail. Criminal-related records (TDCJ records, police reports, court documents) require a Public Information Act request.

Each agency requires a signed consent form from your loved one. The type of consent needed depends on the record. To ensure a smooth process:

• Check the agency’s requirements before sending your request;
• Use the Document Request Guide linked below for instructions; and 
• Be aware of potential delays or fees when requesting records.

If you are ever in doubt about how to get what you need, call the agency you want records and ask about what you need to do. 

Document Request Guide

Sample General Release of Information

What is a parole packet? 

A parole packet is a nonlegal document that allows you and your loved one to tell their life story, explain their actions and growth, and share their reentry plan. You can include photos of your loved one and their family. There are no specific rules for a parole packet, but remember, the Parole Board has a limited amount of time to review parole materials, including your packet. 

Typical parole packets include:

1. Summary Letter (1 page): Highlights 4-6 key reasons for parole, such as personal growth, positive behavior in prison, recovery efforts, and strong reentry support.
2. Narrative Document: A detailed overview covering criminal history, disciplinary record, education, employment, substance use recovery, spiritual development, goals, remorse, and reentry plan.
3. Exhibits: Letters to the Parole Board, letters of support, job offers, transitional home acceptance letters, and program certificates.

How do I Write a Parole Packet? 

There are no strict rules, but these tips can help:

• Keep the main written section 10-15 pages max (excluding exhibits) to ensure it gets read.
• Organize sections with clear headers and keep each section concise (1-2 pages max).
• Include a table of contents and number all pages (including exhibits like letters of support).
• Type the packet if possible; if handwritten, use lined paper and print clearly.
• Avoid using legal terms. Your packet should be easy to read and use simple words.

Jorge Antonio Renaud has written a guide to help incarcerated people write their own parole packets. Jorge spent 26 years in Texas prisons, is a former copy editor and reporter for various Texas dailies and was assistant editor of The ECHO from 1999-2001. While incarcerated, Jorge wrote his own parole packet and developed this guide based on his own packet. 

How to Write Parole Packets

Victims or their families have the right to meet with the lead voter on the Parole Board, and their statements are confidential. If you suspect a victim is objecting:

• Do not try to contact the victim or their family.
• Encourage your loved one to write a remorse statement for the parole packet.
  • This should include an acknowledgment of their actions, how they have changed, and specific steps they have taken to make amends (such as participating in relevant programs).
• The letter should reflect genuine remorse and demonstrate how your loved one has changed their mindset and behavior.

The Parole Board will not tell anyone –even a lawyer – whether a victim is objecting.

You can request a meeting with the lead voter by mailing a letter when your loved one enters parole review. The Parole Board is not required to grant a meeting and the request is unlikely to be granted, however, that should not discourage you from asking.

Your letter should include:

• Your name and relationship to your loved one;
• A request to discuss your loved one's growth and reentry plan;
• A mailing address for submission (to find the correct Parole Board office on the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles website go to “Contact Information” then for each office click on “See Assigned Units” and find your loved one’s unit);
• Your mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. 

If approved, only you (or other approved supporters) can participate—your loved one cannot be on the call. Never attempt a three-way call with your loved one, as this could lead to a major disciplinary infraction.

You should aim to submit the parole packet at least 60 days before your loved one's parole review date. While there is no strict deadline, decisions often happen quickly after the Institutional Parole Officer (IPO) interview. Sometimes, your loved one will be told about the interview a few days before, but other times, your loved one may not know about it in advance.

• You can send materials anytime before the Parole Board decides.
• Decisions may take a few days to several weeks after the IPO interview.
• Due to backlogs, a final decision might come one or two months after the review date.

To check the parole outcome, visit the TDCJ’s Inmate Information Search page and click “Parole Review”. If denied, your loved one will receive a letter listing preset denial reasons. A full list of denial reasons can be found on the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole’s website, under Parole/Mandatory Supervision. 

If granted, they may be approved for an immediate release, a release on a future specified date, or assigned to a program before their release.

Even after approval, release may take 2-3 months due to processing steps:

1. They will first need to go through the Reentry Division, which may help them obtain their birth certificate and social security card. The Reentry Division will coordinate with the Parole Division to approve your loved one’s release address. 
2. The Parole Division approves the release address. If your loved one is releasing to your home, you may receive a home visit. If the address is denied, your loved one must submit a new address or go to a transitional home.
3. Once the address is approved, they are transferred to a release facility. Delays may occur due to bed availability and a release date is assigned after transfer.
4. Your loved one will receive parole conditions and reporting instructions upon release. If no one picks them up, they will be taken to a Greyhound station.

Staying out of trouble during this period is critical. Parole can be revoked at any time your loved one is still incarcerated. It is important that they do not receive any major infractions while waiting to be released.