What is the Difference Between Bail and Parole?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Bail and parole are two different legal concepts that serve as incentives for defendants and inmates, respectively. Here are the key differences between them:
- Timing: Bail is offered before a defendant's trial, while parole is offered after a defendant has been convicted of a crime and usually after a certain amount of time behind bars.
- Purpose: Bail is an incentive for defendants to comply with court dates, whereas parole is an incentive for inmates to behave.
- Authority: Bail is offered by a judge, while parole is typically offered by a specialized parole board.
- Eligibility: A defendant who is eligible for parole might not be eligible for bail.
- Conditions: Bail requires the payment of a specified amount of money or property as a guarantee for the accused to return to court, while parole is a conditional release from imprisonment that requires the prisoner to follow certain guidelines.
- Consequences: If a defendant is arrested on bail, they are sent back to jail to await their day in court. If a parolee is arrested while on parole, they are returned to prison to serve the rest of their original sentence.
In summary, bail is a monetary incentive for defendants to return to court, while parole is an early release incentive for good behavior. Bail is offered by a judge before conviction, whereas parole is offered by a parole board after conviction.
Comparative Table: Bail vs Parole
Here is a table illustrating the differences between bail and parole:
Feature | Bail | Parole |
---|---|---|
Definition | Bail is an amount of money or property that an accused must pay as a guarantee to appear in court. | Parole is a conditional release of a prisoner from jail, without the need to give any money or property, but following guidelines. |
Purpose | Bail is an incentive for defendants to comply with court dates. | Parole is an incentive for inmates to behave and follow the law. |
Timing | Bail is offered before conviction, usually from the time of an individual's arrest until their trial. | Parole is offered after conviction and usually after a certain amount of time has been served in prison. |
Decision-maker | Bail is offered by a judge. | Parole is typically offered by a specialized parole board. |
Conditions | Bail requires the accused to appear in court on every date. | Parole requires the released prisoner to follow specific guidelines. |
Outcome | If the defendant is arrested while on bail, they are remanded to prison until trial. | If the defendant is arrested while on parole, they are returned to prison to serve the rest of their original sentence. |
In summary, bail is a monetary incentive for defendants to appear in court before their trial, while parole is an early release incentive for inmates who have served a portion of their sentence and demonstrated good behavior. Bail is granted by a judge, whereas parole is granted by a parole board.
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