EUGENE, Ore. -- More than 25 years after she was convicted of shooting her three children, killing one of them, Diane Downs continued to protest her innocence in a handwritten 12-page letter she sent to the parole board Monday.

In the letter, she apologized for being angry with a guard back in 1985, but added, "Had you been convicted of a crime you didn't commit, you'd be mad too!"

Downs is up for parole at a hearing this Tuesday.

Downs' sent the letter in response to the Dangerous Offender Report prepared by Barb Cooney with the Oregon Department of Corrections.

"I'll be doggoned if I lay down and let people falsely accuse me of things I haven't done so they can make names for themselves ... so they will be remembered!" Downs wrote. "And in your heart of heart, you know I'm telling it straight."

Downs is currently in prison in Chowchilla, Calif., her fourth home behind bars. She's been moved repeatedly because of her history of escape and escape attempts.

Downs said that history of escape makes her an excellent candidate for parole.

"Of all the felonies on the law books, 'escape from prison' is the only one that indicates a healthy attitude about society," Downs wrote. "Eighty percent of all parolees are dying to get back to prison. I've had cellies whose recidivism 'score' is 17 times in 18 years!! These women are 'programmed' to be prisoners."

"If you are looking for a parole-success story, 4 out of 5 aren't even contenders," Downs continued. "If you truly want to know what sort of prisoner won't come back to prison, your first clue is the prisoner who thinks more about being on the outside of this place than being 'well programmed' or 'adjusted' HERE."

"I am NOT ashamed of my escape," Downs wrote. "At least I don't want to be here and will do everything I need to do so I don't come back."

The Dangerous Offender Report includes a list of Downs' infractions while in prison. In her letter, Downs disputed each claim.

The question now: how will the parole board weigh Downs' word against the state's report?

"Certainly the board is going to look at the source of the information that is coming in and the credibility of that information, if the information is based on a recording of the facts or if the information is the opinion of someone," said Nancy Sellers, executive director of the Oregon Board of Parole.

In the letter, Downs denied shooting her children, and the state report said she shows a lack of remorse. That could pose a problem in her quest for parole.

"Certainly I have seen in prior hearings by this board with other offenders, them looking for the offender to have a genuine understanding of their criminality," Sellers said.

Downs will have an additional opportunity to convince the board when she speaks live via video conference at Tuesday's hearing.