Public Education

How Parole Works

Parole is the supervised release of a person from prison before the end of their full sentence. It is conditional — the released person remains under the authority of the state until the End of Sentence (EoS) date and can be returned to custody for failing to follow the conditions of release. This page walks through how the system works, in plain language.

1. Sentencing

Before a person can be considered for parole, they must first be sentenced. The sentencing judge relies on a Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) — sometimes called a Pre-Sentencing Report (PSR) — prepared by a probation officer. The PSI summarizes the offense, the defendant's background, victim impact statements, and a recommendation for sentencing within the state's guidelines.

The judge issues a sentence within the range allowed by statute. For some offenses, the sentence carries a mandatory minimum that must be served before parole can be considered. For others, parole eligibility begins immediately and is governed by the parole board's calendar.

2. Time in Custody

During the period of incarceration, the inmate's institutional record is built. Two things on that record matter most for the eventual parole decision:

  • Disciplinary Reports (DRs) — formal write-ups for rule violations inside the facility. A clean record helps; a record full of DRs hurts.
  • Treatment program participation — most boards expect inmates convicted of sex offenses to complete a Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP) before parole is considered. Some programs are inpatient; others are Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) conducted post-release.

3. The Parole Hearing

When the inmate becomes parole-eligible, the Parole Board (PB) schedules a hearing. The hearing typically considers:

  • The original PSI/PSR
  • The institutional record, including DRs
  • Treatment progress reports
  • Letters of Support from family, employers, and treatment providers
  • Letters of Opposition (LO) from the public, victims, and advocates
  • Victim Impact Statements
  • The recommendation of the assigned Probation/Parole Officer (PO)

The board's decision is whether the candidate meets the state's standard — often phrased as Suitable Risk — for release into the community under supervision. If the board grants parole, the candidate is released to a parole officer, who supervises them under a written set of conditions until EoS. If the board denies parole, the candidate remains in custody and is typically reconsidered after a defined waiting period.

4. Conditions of Parole

Standard conditions on every parolee usually include:

  • Regular reporting to the assigned PO
  • Maintaining stable residence and employment
  • No contact with the victim
  • No new criminal activity
  • Compliance with any treatment program ordered by the board
  • Submission to drug and alcohol testing

For sex-offense cases, additional conditions are common:

  • Registration on the Sex Offender Registry (SOR)
  • Restrictions on residence near schools, parks, or daycare facilities
  • Restrictions on contact with minors
  • Internet use monitoring
  • Continued participation in SOTP or IOP
  • GPS monitoring in some jurisdictions

5. Violation of Probation

If the parolee fails to follow the conditions of release, the PO can file a Violation of Probation (VoP). A VoP triggers a separate hearing — sometimes a quick administrative review, sometimes a full revocation hearing — at which the board decides whether to modify the conditions, impose a sanction, or revoke parole entirely and return the person to prison.

The standard of proof at a VoP hearing is lower than at a criminal trial, and many violations are technical (missed appointments, failed tests, residence violations) rather than new criminal conduct. A pattern of technical violations is often enough to support revocation.

6. End of Sentence

When the original sentence is fully served — whether all of it was served in custody, or part of it was served on parole — the person reaches End of Sentence (EoS). At that point, the state's authority over the individual ends, with two important exceptions for sex offenses:

  • Sex Offender Registry obligations typically continue for years or decades past EoS, depending on the tier of the underlying offense and state law.
  • Pardon eligibility opens up at EoS or after a defined waiting period, allowing the individual to apply for a Full and Complete Pardon. Read about the pardon process →

Where the Public Fits In

The system makes room for public participation at three points: the original sentencing (through victim impact statements), the parole hearing (through Letters of Opposition and victim statements), and the pardon hearing (through public comment). At each of those points, the board is required to receive and consider input from outside the system. The single largest variable in whether that input is taken seriously is whether enough of it arrives, on time, in the right format. See upcoming hearings →