What is the difference between someone on parole and someone on probation?
Parole and probation are different forms of supervision after sentencing. Parole is supervision that begins after a person is release from prison or jail after serving part of a sentence. Parole is a privilege, not a right. While only a judge can sentence someone to a jail term, the judge does not decide how much of that jail sentence the person will have to serve before being released back into the community. This decision is usually determined by the state legislature. Most states have parole boards that decide whether to release an inmate once he or she is eligible for parole. If a person violates the terms of parole, he or she can be sent back to jail to finish serving his or her original sentence. Probation is a sentence that a judge can give instead of jail or in addition to jail or prison time. Like parole, it has conditions attached. If a person violates the terms of probation, the judge can give him or her any sentence the judge could have originally given, including a jail te
