Conditions on Parole in California – What Can Be Imposed?

A little bit of a reality check: Just because you made parole, it does not mean you are totally “free.”
Parole comes with conditions, many of which are imposed by the California Dept of Corrections (The CDC) and the Board of Prison Terms (BPT).

Before you are released, you should be given a WRITTEN “Notice and Conditions of Parole” letter. You should receive this at least 30 days before you get out. It is very important that you know your parole conditions before you are released because it is very possible that you could unknowingly violate a rule/condition of parole and go right back to prison.

Of course, there are general rules that apply to every parolee. Everyone has to comply with his/her parole officer’s instructions, you cannot own (or even have direct access to) a weapon, and obviously, you can’t engage in criminal behavior. But beyond the general conditions, there may be specific rules for each individual parolee. For example, an alcoholic may be required to abstain from drinking; a person with a diagnosed psychiatric problem may be required to get treatment; etc.

These are legitimate terms of parole. But, some parole conditions may be illegitimate and invalid. This could be the case when a specific prohibition has no relation to your criminal offence. Or let’s say you are NOT an alcoholic or don’t have a record of drinking problems. In such a case, your parole agent cannot forbid you from drinking alcohol, since it is a legal act. In general, extreme, unreasonable, unconstitutional, or ludicrously vague terms of parole can be invalidated.