Having a good release plan is important to have before the parole board looks at an offender's file.  Offenders should ask friends and relatives to help arrange a place to live, a job, transportation, and moral support.  If the source of an offender’s trouble is related to the environment to which the offender intends to return, he or she is advised to live elsewhere. If there are no resources in the community to help the offender, the Parole Division’s Review and Release Processing Section can assist in making a halfway house placement. In this case, the offender should contact an institutional parole officer for assistance. Offenders whose crimes were alcohol- or drug-related should look for a location where counseling is available for those problems. 

In our book, How to Prepare a Texas Parole Packet, we explain how the system works, the strategy we believe is effective in getting a positive parole vote, and exactly how to prepare a parole release plan and a parole packet. The book includes forms, examples, as well as the latest statistics and addresses. We also include a copy of the pertinent laws, statutes, and rules for easy reference.