Probation vs. Parole – What Is the Real Difference?

Courtroom scene illustrating probation vs. parole with a defendant standing before a judge during sentencing

Short answer: Probation and parole are both forms of supervised release in the criminal justice system, but they happen at different stages of a sentence. Probation is an alternative to incarceration ordered by a judge instead of prison, while parole is a conditional early release from prison after part of a sentence has already been … Read more