Legal Definitions - parole revocation

Parole revocation is the official process where a person who has been released from prison early, under specific conditions (known as parole), is sent back to jail or prison. This happens when the individual fails to comply with one or more of the rules or requirements that were established for their parole.

Here are a few examples to illustrate how parole revocation can occur:

• Example 1: Failure to comply with mandatory testing. Sarah was released on parole with a condition that she must submit to regular drug tests. After several months of compliance, she fails a mandatory drug test, indicating drug use. Because drug use is a direct violation of her parole conditions, the parole board initiates a process to revoke her parole, which could result in her being returned to prison to serve the remainder of her sentence.

• Example 2: Violating travel restrictions. Mark's parole conditions stipulated that he was not allowed to leave the county without explicit permission from his parole officer. Despite this, Mark travels to a neighboring state for a weekend trip without informing or getting approval from his officer. When his parole officer discovers this unauthorized travel, it constitutes a breach of his parole agreement, leading to a parole revocation hearing and potentially his return to incarceration.

• Example 3: Associating with prohibited individuals. David was paroled with a strict condition that he must not associate with any known gang members or individuals with felony convictions. His parole officer later receives information and evidence that David has been regularly meeting with former associates who have criminal records, directly violating this specific condition. This breach of his parole terms triggers the revocation process, which could result in David being sent back to prison.