Criminal procedure
Supervised Release
Supervised release is a period of court-ordered supervision that follows a federal prison term, replacing the old parole system.
It is part of the sentence rather than a reduction of it. Standard conditions require reporting to a probation officer, staying in the district, avoiding new crimes, and submitting to drug testing; special conditions can add treatment, financial disclosure, or computer monitoring.
Violations bring the defendant back before the same judge. Because the standard of proof is lower than at trial and there is no jury, revocation proceedings move quickly and can result in additional custody.
It is common to underestimate how long the tail is. A short custodial sentence can be followed by years of supervision, and for some offenses supervised release can run for life, so the total sentence is longer than the prison term suggests.
How it appears on a docket
JUDGMENT imposing 3 years supervised release with special conditions: substance abuse treatment and no new lines of credit without approval.
Governing rule
18 U.S.C. Sec. 3583
Related terms
- Revocation Hearing — A revocation hearing decides whether someone on supervised release or probation violated their conditions and what should happen as a result.
- Probation — Probation is a sentence served in the community under supervision instead of in prison.
More on criminal procedure
See this term in a real case
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