I wanted so much to reach out to her and tell her how sorry I am for killing her son — and to beg for forgiveness — but I never did. I think it was at that point that I realized that I was never going to get out of prison — the parole board was never going to give me another chance.
I would always be defined by the heinousness of my crime, so I just kind of gave up hope and accepted spending the rest of my life in prison as the price I had to pay. How do I forgive myself for that? Finally I decided to write and tell her how sorry I was, and ask for forgiveness. It took me three weeks to finish the letter and it ended up being 12 pages long. I poured my heart into her — told her about all the horrible things I suffered as a child and how carrying a gun became a way of protecting myself after being hurt so much by so many people.
I then told her exactly what happened on the night that I killed her son — taking full responsibility for my actions and telling her how sorry I am for killing her son. Three more years went by and I had now been in prison for 23 years. They said they believed that my life would best be served in the community helping others to not make the same choices I did, and that they individually and collectively forgave Mr. Jackson for his crime. Your support will help us reach our goal and will go a long way toward sustaining this important work.
A nonprofit news organization covering the U. Life Inside. The Language Project. We Are Witnesses. Regional Reporting. Death Penalty. Juvenile Justice. Mental Health. Politics and Reform. About Us. Filed p. Related Stories. Before you go The Probation Officer is required to report any and all violations, but may recommend that the parolee be continued under supervision. The Probation Officer's recommendation is one of the factors considered by the Commission in its decision.
Only a Parole Commissioner may issue a warrant or a summons for a violation of the conditions of release. After a warrant or summons is issued, what happens then? The parolee is either taken into custody or summoned to appear at a hearing. Custody is usually in the nearest government approved jail or detention center. Unless the offender has been convicted of a new offense, a Probation Officer will personally advise the offender of his or her legal rights and conduct a preliminary interview.
The Probation Officer will discuss the charges which have been placed against the offender and then submit a report to the Commission. In this report, the Probation Officer will recommend whether there is "probable cause" to believe that a violation has occurred and whether the offender should be held in custody pending a revocation hearing or be reinstated to supervision.
The Probation Officer will advise the offender of the recommendation and the basis for it. After the Probation Officer's report is received, the Regional Commissioner will either order the parolee reinstated to supervision or order him or her held for a revocation hearing by a Hearing Examiner.
If a parolee is convicted of a new offense, they are not entitled to a preliminary interview because the conviction is sufficient evidence that they did violate the conditions of release. In such case, the offender may be transported without delay to a federal institution for a revocation hearing.
Yes, parolees are entitled to an attorney of their choice or have one appointed by the court if one cannot be afforded. It is the responsibility of the parolee to keep his or her attorney advised as to the time and place of the hearing.
Generally, revocation hearings are held after the offender is returned to a federal institution. Such institutional hearings are held within 90 days from the time the offender was taken into custody on the basis of the Commission's warrant. If there are sufficient reasons to do so, the Commission may order a parolee's revocation hearing held in his or her own community or in the community where he or she was arrested. The offender will be entitled to such a hearing only if the offender denies violating the conditions of release, and if the offender was not convicted of a new crime.
If a local revocation hearing is requested, the parolee must complete a form. There is a penalty for false answers on this form, and a denial of violation must be honestly made. Local revocation hearings are generally held within 60 days from the date the Regional Commissioner finds "probable cause" that parole or mandatory release was violated.
The offender is not entitled to appointed counsel, but may secure an attorney at his own expense. The attorney can act only in the capacity of a representative. Generally, if an offender is convicted of a new law violation, he or she is not entitled to credit for any of the time spent under supervision unless serving a YCA or NARA commitment.
Also, there is no credit given for any time a parolee intentionally failed to respond or report to a Probation Officer or after a parolee has absconded from his or her area and the Probation Officer did not know where he or she was living.
For violation of any of the other noncriminal conditions, a parolee generally will be credited for all of the time spent under supervision in the community.
The Commission utilizes its guidelines to help in determining the length of time a parolee should serve. The guidelines are the same ones used for inmates who apply for their initial parole hearings. Decisions, of course, can be made above or below the guidelines for good cause. Under the new law, the power to grand and deny parole for all D. Board of Parole to the U. Parole Commission on August 5, The new law does not change an offender's eligibility for parole.
The parole eligibility date, mandatory release date, and full term date will continue to be determined according to D.
You will receive a parole hearing form the U. Parole Commission if your hearing date is on or after August 5, Parole Commission application forms will be available at the offender's institution. Offenders must apply to receive an initial parole hearing! Parole Commission will adopt any decision by the D. Board of Parole prior to August 5, If parole was denied and the Board ordered a reconsideration date, a rehearing will be held by the Commission during the month specified by the Board.
A reconsideration date is not a promise of parole, but gives inmates the chance to improve their point scores through positive program achievement. The offender should ask his or her Case Manager for placement on the next docket at the institution.
Re-application is not necessary. Parole Commission applies D. The Parole Commission amended the rules of the D.
Board of Parole in to improve the quality of parole hearings, to include in the point score many of the predictive factors that were formerly used to go above the guidelines, and to establish specific rehearing schedules.
However, the amended "point score" will be used only at initial hearings conducted after August 5, At rehearings for applicants who were denied parole by the D. Board of Parole, the point score will continue to be used. Parole eligibility and good time credits will continue to be determined under current D.
Youth Rehabilitation Act sentences will be carried out as before, regardless of where the inmate is housed. The Revitalization Act requires that all D. Code sentenced felons be transferred to facilities operated or contracted for by the Bureau of Prisons no later than December 31, Will parole be abolished in the District of Columbia?
The D. Revitalization Act requires the District to abolish parole for some types of crimes, but this will only apply to defendants who commit crimes on or after August 5, If a prisoner is serving a parolable sentence, it will not be affected.
Board of Parole had the authority to revoke parole for all D. Code parolees and mandatory releasees until August 5, On that date, the Board's authority was transferred to the U.
Parole Commission and the D. Board of Parole was abolished. Parole Commission will be responsible for making decisions to grant, deny, or revoke parole for D. Information should be sent at least 60 days prior to an offender's hearing. How do offenders contact the U. Parole Commission? Case Managers should be available to assist prisoners.
However, questions may be sent in writing to:. The Parole Commission cannot divulge non-public, case-specific information over the telephone. The Commission is interested in having suitable places to live for parolees. Sometimes this is with family or relatives, but in other cases, the Commission may consider an independent living agreement more suitable.
There is no rigid rule which requires the offender to be paroled to his or her home, if there is one, or that the parolee cannot be paroled if he or she does not. You may have more questions about parole and the U. Parole Commission. We'd like to answer those questions. You are here Home » U. Frequently Asked Questions What is Parole? How does one apply for parole? How is one notified of hearings? What happens at a parole hearing? When is a decision made about parole? Is it possible to appeal the parole decision?
What kind of job can a parolee get? Is parole the same as probation? Who else will be present at the parole hearing? Are the hearings recorded? Are reasons provided if parole is not granted? What type of release plan must be in order? Where are the revocation hearings held?
Will offenders still be eligible for parole? Do offenders still need to apply for parole? What if a prisoner is overdue for a hearing?
Are further changes being considered? What happened to the D. Board of Parole? Who supervised D.
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