Expert: Dick Rogers - 4/15/2009

Question
Hi,

When a person is convicted of a crime and gets sentenced to, say, fifteen-to-thirty years, does that mean he must serve at least fifteen years, or does "time off for good behavior" make him eligible for parole before fifteen years?

Many thanks,

Steve

Answer
Steve, it varies from state to state, however when someone is sentenced to a specific number of years, there is generally an opportunity to seek parole after a set number of years...things that have an influence on whether parole is granted are not limited to behavior in prison, victim/s testimony at hearings, prosecutors input and the seriousness of the original crime...also, what the inmate says at the hearing has a direct impact on whether parole is granted.