A parole attorney is a type of lawyer who specializes in assisting criminal defendants with part of the parole process. These legal professionals can provide different kinds of assistance to those who are currently incarcerated, eligible for parole under certain laws, or dealing with restrictive conditions of their parole. The parole attorney typically represents a criminal defendant who has spent significant time in prison.
During the sentence of someone convicted on serious charges, the criminal justice system may extend various opportunities for parole. Some of these will be based on behavioral factors and observation by prison staff. Generally, many of these parole opportunities will be reviewed by a parole board. The board will make a judgment on whether the individual should be allowed parole at a certain time.
A parole attorney can help a criminal defendant understand the specific factors that relate to his or her incarceration and parole eligibility. In some cases, the fact-finding and other assistance that a parole attorney provides can have a significant effect on whether or not a parole board will move in favor of a defendant. Parole attorneys can also help their clients understand the specific provisions of a parole agreement, including common restrictions on travel, restraining orders, and other limitations.
Criminal justice experts understand that the parole process can be extremely difficult for a criminal defendant who is released from prison. In this process, the newly freed individual is referred to a parole officer. The parole officer is responsible for ensuring that the individual is meeting the standards for the parole agreement. In consultation with the parole officer, a parole attorney may be able to mediate some of the conditions of a parole agreement, or otherwise accommodate a client to his or her situation.
Just like any kind of legal process, the parole process includes a lot of technical procedure, where a judge or other individuals may be involved in crafting a specific parole agreement. The role of the parole attorney is to intercede on behalf of his or her client to get reduced terms, earlier parole, or other accommodations. Parole attorneys work on behalf of those who feel they have done their time and have proved their rehabilitation to the extent that they should be allowed to enjoy the relative freedoms of a parole agreement. Those who are involved in parole situations may be subject to legal restrictions or limitations for a long period of time, and hiring a parole attorney to explain the entire process may be a good investment for someone who is afraid of being caught up in the complex legal system over a long period of time for an initial offense that was complicated by prison/parole bureaucracy.