How Long Does a ‘Life Sentence’ Actually Last in Texas?

Rape, murder, kidnapping, and trafficking. These are all crimes that have led someone to get a ‘life sentence’ in the state of Texas.

We’ve all heard the term ‘life sentence’ used before, but what does it really entail?

After committing a terrible crime and being found guilty in a court of law, an individual can be sentenced to life in prison. Based on the name, you would assume that means they will stay in prison until they die, but that is not always the case.

When sentenced, the convicted criminal can be given a minimum time served prior to being eligible for parole. In many cases, but not all, this is a timeframe of 25 years. If the criminal has good behavior and is deemed fitting for parole after that allotted time, then they may be released from prison.

Get our free mobile app

Is that the only way?

On the other hand, there is the sentence of ‘life in prison without parole’ (LWOP). This sentence is banned in the state of Texas for anyone aged 17 or younger. If the offender is 18 or older, this sentence means that they must remain in prison for the remainder of their life. They do not have the opportunity to be released early for good behavior and will remain behind bars until they die.

If a juvenile (17 years or younger) is given a life sentence, rather than serving LWOP, they must be given the opportunity for parole after serving at least 40 years in prison.