Parole - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition parole

Definition :

Parole is not a suspension of sentence, but is a substitution, during continuance of parole, of lower grade of punishment by confinement in legal custody and under control of warden within specified prison bounds outside the prison, for confinement within the prison adjudged by the court, Jenkins v. Madigan CA Ind, 211 F 2d 904.

A parole relates to executive action taken after the door has been closed on a convict. During parole period there is no suspension of sentence but sentence is actually continuing to run during that period also, State of Haryana v. Nauratta Singh, AIR 2000 SC 1179 (1182): (2002) 3 SCC 514. (Criminal PC, 1973, ss. 432, 433A, 389, 482)

The promise made by a prisoner of war, when he has leave to go anywhere, to return at a time appointed, or not to take up arms till exchanged.

Release on parole is a wing of the reformative process and is expected to provide opportunity to the prisoner to transform himself into a useful citizen. It is also an act of grace and not a matter of right. It is an executive function on Humanitarian Consideration, Ramesh v. State of Rajasthan, (1992) 1 Western Law Cases 284.

Historically, 'parole' is a concept known to military law and denotes release of a prisoner of war on promise to return. Poonam Lata v M.L. Wadhawan, AIR 1987 SC 1383 (1387): (1987) 3 SCC 347.