"Public safety and assisting the offender in reintegrating into the community are the most important considerations in any parole decision. Is the inmate willing and ready to re-enter the community as a law-abiding citizen and contribute to a safer society? Can the inmate's release back into society harm the general public? All relevant information is considered" (General parole and probation questions," 2008, Criminal Law - Parole Probation, p. 3). This is in contrast to probation, which is a legal sentence enforced based upon the nature of the crime and is viewed more in terms of the degree of the convicted defendant's culpability and mitigating circumstances regarding the crime.

The parole board takes some of the same factors into consideration as a judge does when sentencing an individual to a term of probation, such as the type and severity of the offence, but also considers certain personal factors, such as the...
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