How to Write a Letter to the Parole Board; Sample Support Letter

If you have a friend or loved one who is incarcerated, you may have been advised that it would be helpful for you to write a letter of support to the Parole Board on behalf of the inmate. And while you would like to be able to help in some way, you don't have a clue how to write a support letter to the Parole Board! The following sample and guidelines will help you write a letter on behalf of your loved one who is eligible for parole.

Please be aware that each state might have different guidelines regarding what the Parole Board looks for in a support letter. A good rule of thumb is to contact the prison where your loved one is an inmate and ask them for any guidelines they might offer. Many prisons have this information available on their websites. Another important fact to be aware of is that this article in no manner is an attempt to offer legal advice. If you are seeking legal advice regarding parole, a prisoner's rights, or any other legal question regarding incarceration, seek advice from an attorney.

As with any professional correspondence, your support letter should either be on letterhead (if you have Microsoft Word or another similar program you can easily create professional-looking letterhead from a template). The letterhead should include all of your contact information including your name, address, phone number(s) and email address if applicable.

The next item in your support letter should be the date, which should be typed in the top left corner below your letterhead. Include an address block with the information of the inmate you are writing regarding. Next, include the address of the Parole Board to whom you are writing.

If you know a specific name of someone on the prison's Parole Board, you may address them. Otherwise, begin your support letter with "Dear Honorable Members of the Parole Board" followed by a colon (:). In your first paragraph, include your name, age, occupation (if you have been employed in the same field for some time, note that in your first paragraph) and relationship with the inmate.