Parole Consultant and Preparation Attorneys for Sex Offenses

Your loved one is currently incarcerated within a Michigan prison for a sex offense and nearing his or her earliest release date (E.R.D, which is fast approaching. They are now asking you to research what can be done to help increase the chances of getting paroled. Facing the Parole Board can be a very tense, stressful, frightening, and emotional experience. Without a proper strategic plan in place, you will most likely face many unknowns during the interview and leave with mixed feelings as well as a lower chance of success. Our parole consulting attorneys have ample experience successfully preparing our clients for their Parole Board hearings in Michigan.

In fact, statistics from the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) have shown in recent years that roughly 60% of inmates are granted a parole after their first hearing. That also means every 4 in 10 inmates are denied parole or get “flopped”. Also, every 3 in 10 inmates granted parole will return to prison. You have to prove to the parole board that you have earned your parole, have turned your life around and will not return back to prison and be another negative statistic.

Do not make the mistake of facing this situation alone, unprepared, and uninformed. Our attorneys will guide you and your loved one through the entire process which can increase the success of parole being granted! Parole is not a guarantee, it is a privilege. It is crucial that you and your loved one do everything they can from the beginning of serving their sentence to the very end. Our sex offense lawyers the strategic parole services to inmates and their families who face these incredibly difficult situations.

Increasing Your Chances of Parole

We, at Grabel & Associates take your parole very seriously. We examine each of our client’s situations independently and help you create a Parole Plan that is tailored to the inmate. We also prepare your loved one for the parole board and work with you in ways that can help increase their chance of parole. A parole plan should be started no less than a year before their earliest release date. An inmate and their family should not face this crucial step in their return alone. There are many useful steps and actions that can be completed to increase the success of being paroled. These actions should begin the minute the prison sentence starts. Staying out of trouble is obvious the first step. Misconduct tickets can have a variety of different consequences and hindrances with the Parole Board. Successful completion of the recommendations from RG&C is a big priority within the prison system. Are there other programs that an inmate can take that are considered going “above and beyond”? The answer is yes! This is just the beginning of proper planning while they are serving their sentence. There are many other things that can and should be done outside of what is required. Having a thorough parole plan put together that shows you will not reoffend, not return to prison, and will be an asset to society will be very important in increasing your chances of being paroled. You and your loved one both can prepare for the parole hearing by contacting our post-conviction attorneys and a knowledgeable Parole Consultant right away. We have the experience and determination to give you every fighting advantage. Let us help you and your loved one during this process and give them every advantage to coming back home!

The Parole Process General Outline

This is a general overview of what your loved one will be experiencing as they near their earliest release date (ERD). Approximately six months before their ERD, the Parole Eligibility Report (PER) will be completed. The PER will be conducted by a staff member of the prison, usually referred to as the Unit Counselor. The PER contains, but is not limited to, information regarding the offense(s), misconduct during incarceration, programs taken, prison employment and some post release information. A PER that is favorable can greatly influence the decision of the parole board members when granting a parole.

The MDOC will also consider other risk assessments such as the Transition Accountability Plan (TAP), COMPAS, and VASOR. These can happen while the inmate in in Quarantine and others can be conducted by the prison counselor, Social Worker or Clinician.

Inmates will also be given a Psychological Report by the prison prior to their ERD. Psychological Reports are only valid for a certain number of years while incarcerated, which means, depending on the length of the prison sentence they can be conducted multiple times. Having a low risk determination in a psychological report can be a significant factor impacting the parole decision. For those convicted of sexual related crimes and/or have a prior criminal record with sexual related crimes will be administered a psychological report called a SORA (Sex Offender Risk Assessment). This report will also determine if the inmate needs to complete the Michigan Sex Offender Program (MSOP) which was formerly called Sex Offender Program (SOP).

Another tool used in determining whether a parole will be granted is the Parole Eligibility Score Guidelines. These guidelines are very similar to the sentencing guidelines that were used when sentencing the inmate. The Parole Guidelines are categorized into three categories. They are low, average, and high probability of parole. If your parole probability is high, the Board will need “substantial and compelling reasons” to deny you parole. Similarly, if your parole probability is low, the Board will need substantial and compelling reasons to grant you parole.

Finally, in determining if a parole will be granted, the Parole Board Interview must be completed. These are usually done via video with the inmate, a representative (usually a family member) and one Parole Board member. In certain situations, this interview can be conducted in person. The interview is not used to rehash the details of the crime(s) and should not be treated as another trial. This is the inmates’ chance to prove to the Board why they should be granted parole. The Parole Board works with a 2/3^rd vote. Two out of the three members is either in favor or denies a parole. It is imperative the inmate and family are as prepared as possible to endure this process and increase the opportunity for success. Grabel Law & Associates provide the tools and strategy necessary to achieve this goal.

Again, this is a general overview of the parole process in Michigan. This process can vary depending on the circumstances of each case. For instance, lifers and inmates convicted of sex crimes may face additional obstacles.

After the Decision

At this point, the inmate has done everything they can and are now awaiting the decision of the Board. If parole is denied, that is essentially the end of the process at this point. The inmate has no right to appeal an opposing parole decision. Ordinarily, the Board will need to reconsider them for parole within 12 months to 24 months, commonly called a “flop”. The MDOC can actually hold an inmate for the maximum years that the underlying crime(s) carry. This is why it is vital to do everything that you can to help your loved one and have your love one do everything they can to help themselves.

If you can’t appeal a denial of parole that means no one else can appeal a grant of parole, right? Although that would only seem fair, unfortunately it is wrong. Under Michigan law, either the prosecutor or the victim can appeal the grant of parole to the circuit court. Although it’s not necessarily common for prosecutors to appeal a grant of parole, it does happen on occasion. In our experience, certain prosecutor’s offices take a more aggressive stance in opposing parole than others. If the prosecutor or the victim appeals a grant of parole, you will need an experienced parole attorney to fight for your loved one’s freedom! Grabel & Associates is the answer!

Contact Us Right Away

If your loved one needs to prepare and get ready for parole, let our knowledgeable attorneys and staff help. Contact us online or call us at our 24/7 defense hotline at 1-800-883-2138.