TNC
11-16-2004, 06:38 PM
With Chris having his hearing coming up in June 05 I have been very nervous. I give this a lot of thought all the time. Quite honestly I am very nervous and dont look forward to it.
Like many others I have anxiety about speaking in front of others. I have never done well being the center of attention.
Today I decided to contact one of the pre parole hearing officers and ask a few questions. She is someone that Chris has worked with in the past. In my email to her I just asked some general questions about what to expect. I expessed how nervous I was and more affraid of the unknown.
You don't have to worry about being articulate. The point is that you are supportive. The interview with the Parole Hearing Officer will be conducted at the institution where Inmate is housed and would include Inmate and any visitors who want to attend. The hearing officer would ask Inmate questions about his criminal history, his programming efforts and his parole plan. Visitors are also given an opportunity to offer testimony for the record, if they wish. The actual parole hearing is more formal. Inmate would appear before three Commissioners who would ask him similar questions. After the Commissioners interview Inmate they would give any visitors an opportunity to offer testimony for the record. Everyone then leaves the courtroom and a decision is made. After everyone is brought back into the courtroom, the Commission announces the decision.
If you have any additional concerns, please feel free to contact me.
After getting this response back from her I still had a few more questions. I have looked at the hearing schedule many times and knew that on the specific day all the inmates had the same time listed. That made me woner if all the inmates and all the visitors were going to be in the same room at the same time. For me it was very important to know this. The larger the crowd the harder it will be for me to speak.
I explained to her that I dont have a problem answering questions, but if its left up to me to open the conversation I will choke. I have severe stage fright. I asked if even though I intend on being there would it be fine to write a letter on his behalf and if the commissioners had any questions for me then they could ask them at the time of the hearing. For some reason aswering direct questions is less frightning.
Writing a letter is perfectly acceptable. At the time of the actual parole hearing the inmate, the Commissioners, the Executive Director and the person taking minutes are in the room along with any visitors and a correctional officer. If you are there and you choose to speak, you would be the center of attention for the time that you are standing and having your say.
One of the other things I asked is if writing a letter verses actually speaking effects the commissioners decision in any way. I really didnt get anything on that question either way. I know that as a hearing officer she cant tell me what she thinks is best one way or another. Overall she did give me some insight on the process and in the end knowing what to expect is better then the unknown.
I know that I am not the only one has fears such as this so I will keep my experince posted. We have pre-board in a few months and the formal hearing in June so I will have updates.
Like many others I have anxiety about speaking in front of others. I have never done well being the center of attention.
Today I decided to contact one of the pre parole hearing officers and ask a few questions. She is someone that Chris has worked with in the past. In my email to her I just asked some general questions about what to expect. I expessed how nervous I was and more affraid of the unknown.
You don't have to worry about being articulate. The point is that you are supportive. The interview with the Parole Hearing Officer will be conducted at the institution where Inmate is housed and would include Inmate and any visitors who want to attend. The hearing officer would ask Inmate questions about his criminal history, his programming efforts and his parole plan. Visitors are also given an opportunity to offer testimony for the record, if they wish. The actual parole hearing is more formal. Inmate would appear before three Commissioners who would ask him similar questions. After the Commissioners interview Inmate they would give any visitors an opportunity to offer testimony for the record. Everyone then leaves the courtroom and a decision is made. After everyone is brought back into the courtroom, the Commission announces the decision.
If you have any additional concerns, please feel free to contact me.
After getting this response back from her I still had a few more questions. I have looked at the hearing schedule many times and knew that on the specific day all the inmates had the same time listed. That made me woner if all the inmates and all the visitors were going to be in the same room at the same time. For me it was very important to know this. The larger the crowd the harder it will be for me to speak.
I explained to her that I dont have a problem answering questions, but if its left up to me to open the conversation I will choke. I have severe stage fright. I asked if even though I intend on being there would it be fine to write a letter on his behalf and if the commissioners had any questions for me then they could ask them at the time of the hearing. For some reason aswering direct questions is less frightning.
Writing a letter is perfectly acceptable. At the time of the actual parole hearing the inmate, the Commissioners, the Executive Director and the person taking minutes are in the room along with any visitors and a correctional officer. If you are there and you choose to speak, you would be the center of attention for the time that you are standing and having your say.
One of the other things I asked is if writing a letter verses actually speaking effects the commissioners decision in any way. I really didnt get anything on that question either way. I know that as a hearing officer she cant tell me what she thinks is best one way or another. Overall she did give me some insight on the process and in the end knowing what to expect is better then the unknown.
I know that I am not the only one has fears such as this so I will keep my experince posted. We have pre-board in a few months and the formal hearing in June so I will have updates.