That's a very vague question. What do you mean, how does it work? An inmate in a prison can get released early on parole for "good behavior". If you have parole on your sentence (ex. life with parole) once you serve the mandatory sentence time, you are eligible for parole. You will go for parole hearings to see if the judge will grant you parole. Your parole can either be accepted or denied. If you're lucky, it will be granted and you can get out. (Obviously not that day, but soon. I got paroled out about two weeks after my parole was granted. I was denied several times, though, before it got accepted.) Your parole time can not exceed that of your original sentence. (Ex. you get a five year sentence and get paroled after three; you can be on parole for a maximum of two years.) You will be issued a parole officer who you must keep in contact with. There are several general rules to parole:
1. You have to proceed directly to the area to which you have been released, and within 24 hours of your release you have to make your arrival report to that office of the Division of Parole unless other instructions are designated on your release agreement.
2. You have to make office and / or written reports as directed.
3. You can't leave the state to which you are released or transferred, or any area defined in writing by your parole officer without permission.
4. You will permit your PO to visit you at your residence and / or place of employment and you will permit the search and inspection of your residence and property. You will discuss any proposed changes in your residence, employment, or program status with your PO. You have an immediate and continuing duty to notify your PO of any changes in your residence, employment, or program status when circumstances beyond your control make prior discussion impossible.
5. You have to reply promptly, fully, and truthfully to any inquiry of (or communication by) your PO or other representative of the Division of Parole.
6. You must notify your PO immediately any time you are in contact with or arrested by any law enforcement agency. You have a continuing duty to notify your PO of such contact or arrest.
7. You will not be in the company of any person you know to have a criminal record or who you know to have been adjudicated a Youthful Offender, except for accidental encounters in public places, work, school, or in any other instance with the permission of my PO.
8. You can't behave in such manner as to violate the provisions of any law to which you are subject, which provides for a penalty of imprisonment, nor will your behavior threaten the safety or well-being of yourself or others. (Your parole could be revoked.)
9. You can't own, possess, or purchase any shotgun, rifle, or firearm of any type without the written permission of your PO. You can't own, possess, or purchase any deadly weapon as defined in the Penal Law or any dangerous knife, dirk, razor, stiletto, or imitation pistol. In addition, you will not own, possess or purchase any instrument readily capable of causing physical injury without a satisfactory explanation for ownership, possession or purchase.
10. In the event that you leave the jurisdiction of w/e state you're released in, you hereby waive your right to resist extradition to the state from any state in the Union and from any territory or country outside the United States. This waiver shall be in full force and effect until you are discharged from parole or conditional release. You have the right under the Constitution of the United States and under law to contest any effort to extradite you from another state and be returned to your original release state, and you freely and knowingly waive this right as a condition of my parole or conditional release.
11. You can't use or possess any drug paraphernalia or use or possess any controlled substance without proper medical authorization.
12. You must fully comply with the the instructions of your PO and obey such special additional written conditions as he / she, a member of the Board of Parole, or an authorized representative of the Division of Parole, may impose.
Special conditions according to your conviction or behavior, etc. may be added to these regulations, and you must comply with these conditions as well. The special conditions (if added) may be specified by the Board of Parole, your PO, or another authorized representative.
You must meet with your parole officer or send in written reports whenever your PO specifies; depending on them, it could be anywhere from once a month to one every six months. Me, personally, I have to meet with my PO every two months.