The factors that board members will consider when deciding whether to grant parole in Pennsylvania will vary. In part, they will include a full consideration of the original offense. If the case involved a victim or victims, they will include full consideration of the victim's position. Regarding whether parole should be granted or not, they'll consider how the offender has done since being sentenced.
If they've completed their conditions of their sentence thus far, the conditions that they could complete thus far, how they've adjusted in the prison community, if they've say going above and beyond to be a positive member of the prison community, if they have had any infractions while in prison and then as importantly, with the likelihood of if they were to be paroled that they would succeed upon being paroled, that they would not say recertify.
It would be based on a number of factors in terms of the person's available resources in the community and at home. Being paroled is obviously a blessing despite the burdens and path to get to that point. Having an experienced Pennsylvania criminal defense attorney will help you best understand the parole process and can help you best present your case to the board. They should be involved from as early as possible in the case.