When writing a letter there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. Rather it be judges or the parole commission you need to keep your letters limited to a few paragraphs. They simply dont have time to read long winded letters. It's probably best not to write the letters based on all emotion. You dont want to sound like your begging. You want to letters to be based on facts and to the point, but you do want some emotion behind it. The key to a good letter is how it's worded.
Attention: Re: Inmate name and # I am writing this letter on behalf of Inamate name, an inmate at I.C.C. I would like to start by saying that I am Chris’s fiancee and the mother of 3 children who love and adore Chris. We would all like to see Chris out of prison and joining us as a family. We knew Chris before he was sent back to prison and it wasn’t until after seeing all the changes that he has made that we became a family. Because of the lack of support Chris had when he was released the last time he got himself into trouble. He looks back now and sees where he went wrong and why it happened. At his revocation hearing they told him that he needed to " Top" out his prior charge and he was devastated. Even after being denied over and over never gave up on finding a Therapeutic Community Program. After going to ICC and talking to the Program Manager she saw something in Chris that told her he was worth taking the chance and she let him take the Life Line Program. He will be graduating the program in July and they want him to stay on as a Intern for the program. Chris has worked very hard to become a better person and productive member of society. As you can see by all the certificates he has worked very hard in the last year. He has also signed up to take a parenting class and we have plans to take a relationship class to strengthen the bond we have when he is out. He takes the role of being the best husband and father he can be very seriously. Because of the changes that I have seen in him we do have plans to be married soon. I am asking you to reconsider the last decision and grant him a new hearing. I’m not just asking for Chris and I, but I’m also asking for my three children. It’s been a long time since they have seen Chris and right now because were not married there unable see him and spend time with him the way a family does. He now has a family who loves and supports him as well as needs him that he didn’t have before. I wouldn’t be asking this if I didn’t really see and believe how much he has changed for the better. I know that Chris will be a very productive member of this family and society.
Dear In July 2003, Mr. submitted a Self Iniciated Progress Report and was denied a hearing. After doing a file review in September 2003, he was given hearing date of 2008. In the time Christopher has been back in prison, he has made many changes in his attitude and willingness to do what he can to get out of prison and stay out. He has gotten over 30 certificates since his re-incarceration, some of which are: (See next page for list). To me, this is showing that he is working very hard and is staying DOR free. When you and I were in touch a few months ago you asked if I would be able to attend a hearing for support if he is granted one. My support for Chris is stronger now than it was at that time and it continues to get stronger as we work together setting and maintaining goals. As I said in the last letter, he has made a lot of changes from the person he was before he went back to prison. I see the wonderful changes he is making. I believe these changes are because he wants to improve himself. We all know that one of the first parts of making a better person out of oneself is wanting to do it! He started programming before we were even together; however, I think that now that he has a family in his life he has more incentives. Christopher has done all of these things on his own. No one has ever told him "this is what is expected of you" or "this is what you need to do." There are many that get a hearing or get out, but they are told they have to take certain programs first. Those are the ones who only are doing it because they have to and not because they want to. Again, what makes Chris stand out from those is he has done this because he wants to make the changes for himself. I'm asking that he at the very least he be given a hearing. He has worked harder then anyone I know to become a better person and I feel he deserves a chance to show the parole board.
Office of the Governor 700 West Jefferson, 2nd Floor PO Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0034 Dear Governor Kempthorne I am writing this letter on behalf of my fiancee NAME, an inmate at ICC. I first met Mr. before he went back to prison and it wasn’t until after that when we became a family. I knew him before he went back and I know who he has become. He has worked harder then anyone I know to become a better person. Since Mr. has gone back to prison he has worked very hard to make changes to become a more productive member of society. He has received over 30 certificates from different programs that he has taken since he has gone back. I think the important thing to note here is he did all of this on his own. Most of these were done before him and I were even involved. The board didn’t tell him to do these. These are just things he wanted to do for himself. I know that a lot of guys are "told" to take certain programs in order to get out. It’s the ones who do it because their told to rather then they want to have a better chance at going back in. You have to want to make the changes and I think he has shown that he does. I found these sample letters on the web. I think they are a great tutorial to show HOW to write your letter...just follow their structure
In July of 2003 he submitted a Self Initiated Progress Report and was denied a hearing. I had wrote a support letter for that hearing and was told that it wouldn’t be considered because my letter needed to be included in his packet. When he submitted his packet he was only allowed so many pages. In those pages that he wrote he did mention me but when it came down to sending my letter he didn’t send it. He also had a letter from one of his counselors saying how hard he has worked. After talking about it we though that the letter from her was very important because it was from someone who had no personal interest or gain to write something good about him. He had to decide on only one. We decided that I could mail my letter in and at the time we had no idea that it wouldn’t make it into the file. As it stands right now he doesn’t have a hearing scheduled until 2008. I see all the time inmates who aren’t making the changes for themselves get another chance, but this man who has done so much isn’t getting that chance. I know that even in the real world we get people that try and do well and don’t get recognized so they give up. That happens in the work place, schools and even at home. I’m not saying that he is giving up or ever will, but I would hate to think that there are people who really are trying to do better and taking the programs that the Department of Corrections offers just to be let down. Many of these inmates have self-esteem problems that that’s what lands them where they are. Part of our job as a society is help these people learn that you do get recognized for doing good. Sincerely,