When Does an Inmate Become Eligible?

Before an inmate has a chance of winning parole release, he or she must serve enough of the sentence to be eligible for parole consideration. 

Many inmates become eligible for parole after serving approximately 1/4th of their sentence, but not more than 15 years. Inmates convicted of certain violent or sexually motivated felonies or other first-degree felonies must serve at least half of their sentences, but no more than 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. An inmate who received a life sentence must serve at least 40 years before becoming eligible for parole. 

Inmates are placed into the review process 4-6 months prior to their parole eligibility date or next review date.

Your Loved One is Eligible - Now What?

First, the inmate will meet with the Institutional Parole Officer (IPO) during the review process. After that meeting, the file will be sent to the Parole Board, where it is assigned to a lead voter.  Once the lead voter makes a decision, the file is passed on to a second voter. If the lead voter and the second voter agree, the vote is decided, and either an approval or denial is granted. 

The Outcome

Approval Votes

FI-1 (Further Investigation 1): Release offender on parole supervision as soon as eligible.

FI-2: Release on parole on a specified future date.

FI-3R: Transfer to TDCJ rehabilitation program, such as Changes/Lifeskills, no earlier than a specified date for at least four months with release on parole after completion.

FI-4R: Transfer to a Sex Offender Education Program (SOEP) no earlier than a specified sate for at least four months with release on parole after completion.

FI-5: Transfer to an In-Prison Therapeutic Community Program (IPTC), with release to an aftercare component.

FI-6: Transfer to a DWO rehabilitation program iwth release to continuum of care program.

FI-6R: Transfer to a rehabilitation program, such as the Pre-Release Therapeutic Community (PRTC) or Pre-Release Substance Abuse Program (PRSAP), no earlier than specified sate for at least six months with release on parole after completion.

FI-7R: Transfer to Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) no earlier than specified date for at least seven months with release on parole after completion.

FI-9R: Transfer to the Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP-9) no earlier than specified date for at least nine months, with release on parole after completion.

FI-18R: Transfer to the Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP-18) in the InnerChange Freedom Intiative (IFI) no earlier than specified date for at least 18 months, with release on parole after completion

CU-FI: Designates the date an offender serving consecutive sentences would have been eligible for parole if single sentence.

RMS: Release to mandatory supervision

Denial Votes

NR (Next Review): This is commonly known as a "set off". The set off can be for a period of up to 5 years. Most set offs are 1 year set offs, but longer set offs are not uncommon in more serious cases.

SA (Serve All): This is a denial of parole with no regular subsequent review, which will require the offender to complete the sentence or be considered for discretionary mandatory supervision, if eligible.