Michigan Parole Guidelines

Michigan Parole Guidelines

The Michigan Parole Guidelines are one of the most essential tools the Michigan Parole Board uses in determining whether an incarcerated individual should be released. Established to create a more structured and consistent parole process, the guidelines score a prisoner’s risk to the public and likelihood of success upon release. While the parole guidelines provide a framework for decision-making, the Parole Board retains the discretion to depart when circumstances justify doing so. Understanding how the guidelines work and how to prepare evidence that favorably affects the score is critical to success. 

At Grabel & Associates, we have spent over 25 years advocating for clients under these guidelines, ensuring that their strengths are fully documented and their weaknesses are effectively mitigated. If you are seeking guidance from an experienced Michigan appellate attorney, our team is prepared to protect your rights and pursue the best possible outcome.

Legal Foundation of Michigan Parole Guidelines: Statutory and Administrative Rules

The  Michigan Parole Guidelines were developed under MCL 791.233e, which requires the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to establish objective guidelines for consideration by the Parole Board. The implementing rules are found in Administrative Rule 791.7716. These guidelines use actuarial data and evidence-based practices to score a prisoner on multiple factors related to recidivism risk. While the statute requires the Board to provide ‘substantial and compelling’ reasons for departing from the guidelines, it still retains discretion in individual cases. This blend of structure and discretion makes it crucial to understand how each guideline factor can be improved before a parole interview or hearing.

How the Michigan Parole Guidelines Scoring System Works

The Michigan Parole Guidelines use a point system to categorize prisoners into three main groups:

• High Probability of Parole: Generally, a score above +4.
• Average Probability of Parole: Scores around -4 to +3.
• Low Probability of Parole: Scores below -5.

The score is calculated based on a combination of static and dynamic factors, including prior criminal record, type of offense, institutional behavior, participation in programs, and psychological evaluations. The Parole Board considers this score but may also weigh other evidence, including input from victims and prosecutorial objections.

Key Factors That Influence Michigan Parole Guidelines Scores

The guidelines look at a variety of factors, some of which cannot be changed (static factors) and others that can be improved over time (dynamic factors):

• Criminal History: Prior felony convictions, violent crime history, and prior parole or probation violations.
• Current Offense: Severity of the underlying crime, use of a weapon, injury to victims.
• Institutional Conduct: Misconduct tickets, program completion, and educational achievements.
• Substance Abuse Treatment: Participation in and completion of SATP or other treatment programs.
• Mental Health: Documented stability, treatment compliance, and psychological evaluations.
• Parole Plans: Documented housing, employment opportunities, community, and family support.

Improving scores on dynamic factors is the most effective way for an inmate to increase their probability of parole.

Why the Parole Board Can Depart from Michigan Parole Guidelines

Although the parole guidelines are meant to create consistency, the Parole Board can and does depart from them. Under Michigan law, a departure must be supported by 'substantial and compelling' reasons. Common reasons for downward departure (denial despite a high score) include victim opposition, serious misconduct in prison, or concerns about community safety. Upward departures (granting parole despite a low score) are less common. Still, they may occur where there is strong evidence of rehabilitation, compelling parole plans, or unusual circumstances not captured by the guidelines. Effective advocacy often involves persuading the Board that a departure is justified, or that the guidelines score alone should not be the sole determinant.

Michigan Risk Assessments and Their Impact on Parole Decisions

The guidelines interact closely with broader risk assessment tools used by MDOC. These assessments, which consider criminogenic needs, age, gender, and psychological evaluations, often reinforce the guidelines but can also reveal mitigating factors that may be overlooked. Actuarial risk assessments might still show a prisoner with a technically low score to have a low chance of reoffending, creating room for persuasive advocacy.

Strategies to Improve Michigan Parole Guideline Scores

Because certain factors are dynamic, preparation is essential. Practical strategies include:

• Completing all available programming (educational, vocational, therapeutic).
• Maintaining a clean misconduct record.
• Gathering strong letters of support from family, clergy, employers, and community leaders.
• Developing a detailed parole plan, including housing and employment.
• Obtaining mental health and substance abuse evaluations showing compliance and stability.

Each of these factors not only improves the guidelines score but also provides persuasive material to the Board.

Common Mistakes Prisoners Make with Michigan Parole Guidelines

Many prisoners fail to maximize their parole chances by neglecting the guidelines. Common mistakes include:

• Assuming the guidelines are automatic and not preparing evidence.
• Ignoring program opportunities that could improve scores.
• Failing to address substance abuse or mental health issues.
• Submitting vague or incomplete parole plans.

These oversights allow the Board to rely on negative assumptions, which can be fatal to parole hopes.

Why Hiring a Michigan Appellate Attorney Improves Parole Chances

At Grabel & Associates, we understand the intricacies of the parole guidelines and how they interact with the Parole Board’s discretion. Our role includes:

• Reviewing the prisoner’s score and identifying areas for improvement.
• Gathering documentation to maximize dynamic factors.
• Preparing clients for parole interviews with guideline-related questions.
• Advocating for favorable departures where appropriate.

Our 25 years of experience mean we know how to frame a client’s record to make the guidelines work in their favor.

Contact a Michigan Appellate Lawyer for Parole and Appeals Help

The Michigan Parole Guidelines play a central role in parole decisions. Still, they are not the final word. Understanding how they are calculated, how to improve scores, and when departures may be justified can make the difference between release and continued incarceration. At Grabel & Associates, we specialize in turning guidelines into opportunities rather than obstacles. By focusing on rehabilitation, risk reduction, and persuasive advocacy, we help our clients maximize their chances of parole under Michigan law.

Appealing a conviction is never easy. To have any chance, you need a knowledgeable, skilled, and seasoned team of attorneys. That’s why you need us. Contact us online or call our 24/7 defense hotline at 1-800-342-7896.