Which term refers to the release of an inmate from a correctional institution before the inmate's court-imposed sentence ends?

• A. Probation
• B. Release
• C. Discharge
• D. Parole

Answer: (D)

Parole is the conditional early release from a prison sentence, allowing the inmate to live in the community under supervision and with specific conditions until the court-imposed sentence is completed. The decision is usually made after a portion of the sentence has been served, and violations of the release conditions can send the person back to prison to finish the sentence. This is different from probation, which is a court-imposed period of community supervision in place of or in addition to incarceration, and not an early release from confinement. Discharge and generic release refer to ending custody or a termination not based on a supervised early release. So the term that best fits the description is parole.