Contrast probation, parole, mandatory release, pardon, and furlough. Probation is a criminal ...

o community rather than be imprisoned, as long as she or he follows certain conditions set by the court.
Parole is the conditional release of an inmate before his or her sentence has expired. The remainder of the sentence is served in the community under the
o supervision of correctional (parole) officers, and the offender can be returned to incarceration if he or she breaks the conditions of parole, as determined by a parole board.
Mandatory release from prison occurs when an offender has served the full length
o of his or her sentence, minus any adjustments for good time. Mandatory release occurs as a result of a statutory requirement and, when applicable, negates the
possibility of parole.

o A pardon is an act of executive clemency that overturns a conviction and erases
mention of the crime from the person's criminal record.
o A furlough is a temporary release from a prison for purposes of vocational or educational training, to ease the shock of release, or for personal reasons.