Parole boards are vested with almost unlimited power to decide who gets out of prison when, and why. Hearsay, rumor and instinct are all fair game. The law directs the board to take into account “the inmate’s culture, language, values, mores, judgments, communicative ability and other unique qualities.” In many states, the boards’ most basic workings are shielded by law from public view. Boards are not obligated to give any but the most cursory reasons for their decisions, which include not only whether to release prisoners but also how long they must wait to be considered again or what they can do to increase their chances in the meantime. With only two years to go, our best advice is to focus on his release and re-entry - what he is going to do when his actual release date arrives. If the focus shifts from parole to release his time will definitely go much faster.