ABSTRACT
Parole is defined as release from jail, prison, or other confinement after actually serving part of the sentence. Like probation, parole is a privilege and not a right. This means that parole may be given or denied by the state. Parole and probation have much in common. They both are forms of offender community supervision, both involve conditions for release, release conditions are usually similar, and both can be revoked if the conditions imposed are violated. Their differences may be summarized as follows:
Parole has been used in the United States for a long time and is based on the philosophy that some prisoners are sufficiently rehabilitated so they can safely be released to the community. While that is an ideal, parole in many states is, in reality, used as a form of prison population management. Many inmates are released not because they have been rehabilitated, but because of limited prison space. The practice has led to such a level of concern that in some states parole has been completely abolished, in some cases under the guise of “truth in sentencing.” Many aspects of parole have drawn criticism. Among them are the criteria for release and insufficient supervision.
