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People convicted of a crime and placed on probation serve their sentence in the
community under the supervision of a probation officer and must adhere to specific
conditions. A sentence to probation is usually accompanied by a "suspended
sentence" to imprisonment. As long as probationers adhere to the conditions of
their probation, they remain free in the community.
Parole, on the other hand, is a conditional early release from prison which, like
probation, is served in the community, under supervision, and is subject to
specific conditions. How early prisoners are released depends, in part, on how
well they behave while in prison. The amount of time taken off the end of their
original prison sentence is called "good time." For every day an inmate behaves
properly in prison, good time may be awarded.
The grounds upon which an inmate accumulates "good time" varies from state to
state. It is not uncommon for two or three days to be taken off the end of an
inmate's sentence for every day of good behavior while in prison. For example, an
inmate with a three year prison term may be released on parole after having been
in prison for one year (that's two days of good time for every one day of good
behavior while in prison). Parole, like probation, can also be revoked if the
conditions are violated. Parolees who violate the conditions of their parole may
be sent back to prison to complete their sentence.
The following are typical conditions under which probationers and parolees must
live if they hope to remain in the community. They must:
report to the probation/parole officer by phone, in writing, or in person;
refrain from association with persons who have criminal record or who are
involved in criminal activity;
refrain from violating the law and report to the probation/parole, within a
specified period of time;
pay a specified amount of money monthly for the term of the probationer's
probation to defray the costs of his or her supervision; and
As has already been mentioned, probationers and parolees who violate one or more
of the conditions may have their status revoked and sent to prison to complete the
remainder of their original sentence.
Part 2:
The Goals of Probation and Parole
providing the offender with guidance from the probation officer and access
to community-based treatment programs,
According to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, as of August 11, 1999, "The fee
to cover the average cost of incarceration for Federal inmates is $21,926." (U.S.
Bureau of Prisons, 1999) For fiscal year 1999-2000, the fee in Florida was
$18,272 (Florida Department of Corrections) and, in 2000, the fee was $25,607 for
the state of California. (California Department of Corrections) Fees include the
cost to feed, clothe, house, educate, and provide other services (i.e., medical,
religious, psychological, recreational) for an inmate for one year in addition to
expenses incurred for maintaining the prison facility and its personnel.
serving as a reward for inmates who exhibit good behavior while in prison;
There are other benefits which may be attributed to the use of probation
or parole, but the ones listed above serve our purposes here.