parole and intermediate sanctions

What is parole you ask? According to the Online Dictionary (2014) “Parole is the conditional release of a person from prison prior to the end of the maximum sentence imposed.” There are currently three different types of parole the parole board utilizes: discretionary parole, supervised mandatory release, and unconditional mandatory release. In order to be eligible for parole the offender must prove to the parole board he or she has been rehabilitated and are no longer a danger to society. Over the years the United States jurisdictions and judges offer intermediate sanctions to probationers (offenders who are released from detention under supervision due to a period of good behavior). The objective of intermediate sanctions in the criminal justice practice is to create stability among various offenders. These sanctions are mid-range dispositions that fall between probation and incarceration.
First, we have discretionary parole. Discretionary parole is the decision to release the offender as determined by the parole board after he or she has completed the minimum percentage of his or her sentence. After the offender is released on parole he or she must follow certain conditions as a requirement. Failure to follow conditions or committing another crime may result in returning to prison. Some conditions include informing his or her parole officer where he or she lives and work, following his or her parole officer’s instructions, being a law a biding citizen, and reporting to his or her parole officer when instructed.
Secondly, there is supervised mandatory release also known as mandatory parole, which is the discharge of an offender after completing at least 85% of his or her sentence followed by a period of supervision. Standards for mandatory parole differ by the crime that had been committed and the type of offender. Supervised mandatory release is similar to discretionary parole as there are still certain conditions and requirements the parolee must fulfill