Conditional Release
The supervised release of a person from prison or jail under specific conditions that they must follow.
Conditional release is when a person leaves prison or jail before their full sentence is complete, but must follow specific rules and restrictions. In Minnesota, the most common form is supervised release, where an offender serves the final portion of their sentence in the community under the supervision of a corrections agent. The conditions may include regular check-ins, drug testing, employment requirements, curfews, and restrictions on where they can live.
Minnesota uses an indeterminate sentencing system for many offenses, meaning a person sentenced to prison will serve a portion in custody and a portion on supervised release. For certain serious offenses, like some sex crimes, Minnesota law requires an additional conditional release term that begins after the prison sentence is fully served.
Why it matters: Violating the conditions of release can result in being sent back to prison to serve the remainder of the sentence. Successfully completing conditional release helps a person reintegrate into the community while maintaining public safety.
Example: After serving two-thirds of a 36-month prison sentence, an offender is released on supervised release with conditions including regular meetings with a corrections agent, maintaining employment, and submitting to random drug testing.
After serving a prison sentence, parole hearings, sex offender cases, supervised release