1) Review the case

The Clemency and Pardons Board in Washington State looks for 2 criteria:

1) you must have served a minimum of 10 years of your sentence

2) extraordinary circumstances (this is loosely defined and can be extraordinary sentence for the crime committed or even a very serious crime but an extraordinary transformation of the individual).

2) Reflect

We aim to look beyond what happened that resulted in a life sentence. Think about the situation and who you are as a person today rather than the person who committed crimes many years ago. In order to be considered a good candidate for release, the board looks for acknowledgement of past actions, accountability, impact on victims and families, work that’s been done inside to address issues (anger management classes, substance abuse classes, etc.) , # of infractions, attitude toward fellow inmates and staff, ability to work and influence within the prison community in a positive way. They also look at chance of recidivism (the likelihood of committing crimes once out). Do you have family or friends that will help support you once you are out?

Think about who you are a person now and whether you have something to offer the community once you’re out. We think you do!

3) Contact us

If you, or someone you know, has exhausted all their appeal options and it seems hopeless, please consider asking us to revisit the case. Seattle Clemency Project offers hope in an often hopeless place.

The best way to find out whether you have a chance is to contact us by emailing info@seattleclemencyproject.org.