The courts
parole
Supervised release from prison before a sentence ends. Probation is supervision imposed instead of incarceration. The federal system abolished parole in 1987.
In full
Federal sentences are now served nearly in full, with a small credit for good conduct and supervised release afterward; parole survives in most state systems and for older federal sentences. Violating the conditions of either can send someone back to custody on a hearing rather than a new trial, at a lower standard of proof.
Also written as: probation, supervised release
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.