Where possible, the supervising post-release officer should participate in drafting the conditions of release of those on his or her caseload. The conditions should be specific and clearly written. (See Policy Statement 17, Advising the Releasing Authority, for more on including key stakeholders in determining the conditions of release.) This process should limit the degree to which supervision officers regard specificity of conditions as constraining their ability to respond to an individual.

Releasing authority staff or the transition planning team should always ensure that the person to be released has a clear understanding of the expectations of the authority and of transition planners. The conditions of release and the transition plan should incorporate input from the individual, but he or she should not be assumed to understand the transition plan completely simply because he or she has had opportunity to participate in the development of the plan. Once the transition plan is complete and the conditions of release have been determined, a community corrections officer or transition team member needs to clearly explain them to the person under supervision along with both the consequences for failing to meet the terms and conditions and the benefits of successfully adhering to the supervision strategy.

In order to maximize the ability of the individual to comply with the conditions of his or her release, the transition planning team should ensure that the individual is aware of service providers that he or she will be expected to contact after release, and should facilitate such contact. When relevant service providers have not been engaged to participate on the transition team, the supervision officer should inform these service providers of the anticipated release of the individual and of the elements of the supervision strategy that may affect the service relationship.

In addition to a clear and concise oral explanation of the expectations of the releasing authority and the service providers who will serve as resources for him or her, the individual should receive a written copy of the conditions of release that outlines the rules that will apply to him or her in the community, the consequences of breaking any of these rules, and the potential benefits of successfully completing set time periods under community supervision. The document should set forward clear and straightforward standards to which all parties can be held accountable. Policymakers should recognize that many prisoners have limited literacy or may not be able to read documents in English and make translations or additional explanations available to these individuals.

Example: Georgia Division of Parole

At the time of discharge, parolees receive a parole certificate and a copy of the terms and conditions of their release. Parole officers review the conditions of release with their parolees in a one-on-one session. In addition, some jurisdictions offer parole orientation sessions.

Example: "Division of Community Corrections Offender Handbook," Wisconsin Department of Corrections

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections distributes an "Offender Handbook" to inmates being placed on probation or parole. The handbook explains what probation and parole mean and how the supervision process works. Specific topics covered by the handbook include resolving disagreements with the supervision agent, restitution, and payment of supervision fees.