If a defendant is sentenced to probation, he or she does not immediately serve his or her jail or prison sentence. Instead, the defendant is supervised by the judge and the probation department for a specified amount of time and could be required to go to jail (in misdemeanor cases) or prison (in felony cases) if he or she violates the conditions of probation.
Parole means that a convicted defendant is released from prison before serving the entire number of years that he or she was sentenced to serve. Parole is meant to aid the prisoner in readjusting to society. Every person sent to prison is technically eligible for parole, unless sentenced to death. The Pardons and Paroles Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice decides whether to grant or deny parole. If you are a victim of violent crime, you have a right to give the Victim Services Section of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice your opinion about the defendant’s possible parole. You will be notified of parole proceedings if you request to be notified, and do not move after making the request. If you have moved or if you have questions, notify the Victim Services Section at 1-800-848-4284.
The Board of Pardons and Paroles sets the conditions of a defendant’s parole. One such condition may be the payment of restitution to the crime victim, especially if the sentencing judge has asked that the Board of Pardons and Paroles consider making it a condition of the defendant’s freedom upon release to parole.