Parole refers to the conditional release of an inmate from an adult correctional centre, allowing them to serve the remainder of their custodial sentence within the community. This release is granted under the Parole Act and is supervised by Probation Aftercare Officers.

Parole differs from:

• Remission – A reduction of sentence duration for fixed-term inmates (typically one-third for first-time offenders and one-quarter for repeat offenders).
• Reprieve – A pardon granted by the Governor General to an individual currently serving a sentence.

Eligibility for Parole

An inmate is eligible to apply for parole if they:

• • Are serving a sentence of more than 12 months;
  • Have served one-third of their sentence or 12 months, whichever is greater.

Additional eligibility criteria include:

• For concurrent sentences, eligibility is based on the longest sentence.
• Inmates serving life sentences must serve at least 10 years before applying.
• Foreign nationals are ineligible for parole due to the absence of reciprocal agreements with other countries. Their only recourse is to petition the Governor General for reprieve.

Application Requirements

To apply for parole, inmates must submit:

• A fixed address with identifiable landmarks and contact details;
• Names of individuals who will provide rehabilitative support;
• Evidence or prospects of employment, which strengthens the application.

Considerations for Granting Parole