Parole and Supervised Release in Minnesota

Why Minnesota Has (Mostly) No Parole

In states with indeterminate sentencing, a judge imposes a range (like "10 to 20 years") and a parole board later decides when to release the inmate. Minnesota abandoned that model in 1980 in favor of determinate sentencing under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines. Sentences now have a definite length set at the time of sentencing, and release isn't a discretionary parole-board decision.

The Two-Thirds / One-Third Rule

For most felony sentences, the executed sentence is divided into two parts:

• roughly two-thirds served in prison (the "term of imprisonment"); and
• roughly one-third served on supervised release in the community.

At sentencing, the court pronounces the total sentence and explains how much time the person will serve in prison versus on supervised release, assuming good behavior. Disciplinary violations in prison can push the in-custody portion longer (by reducing earned good time).

What this means for you: Release at the two-thirds point is generally presumptive, not discretionary — it happens by operation of the sentence, not because a board decides to grant it. But it's conditional: a person on supervised release remains under the legal custody and control of the Commissioner of Corrections.

Supervised Release Is Conditional

Being on supervised release is not the same as being fully free. The person must follow conditions set by the Department of Corrections, and those conditions can be broad. If the person violates them, they can be returned to prison to serve more of the sentence. An inmate does, however, have a "liberty interest" in a supervised release date that is protected by due process.

When Conditions Can't Be Met

Sometimes a person is released on conditions they can't satisfy through no fault of their own — for example, a requirement to find approved housing that no facility will provide. Where a condition becomes "unworkable" through no fault of the inmate, the Commissioner must at least consider modifying or restructuring the conditions.

A Newer Development: Earned Release Credits (MRRA)

Minnesota has enacted the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act (MRRA), which modifies how time is served. Under it, eligible inmates who participate in individualized rehabilitation plans can earn release credits that shift a portion of their time from prison to supervision. The two-thirds model remains the baseline, but eligible inmates may be able to reduce their incarceration time. Whether someone qualifies depends on the specifics of their case.

Where True "Parole" Still Exists

Traditional discretionary parole survives only in narrow situations:

• Life sentences with the possibility of release — where a board decides release after a minimum term; and
• Old indeterminate sentences — for crimes committed on or before April 30, 1980.

For these cases, discretionary-release authority now rests with a Supervised Release Board (which took over that role from the Commissioner of Corrections as of July 1, 2024).

Life Sentences

For most mandatory life sentences that carry the possibility of release, the inmate must serve a minimum of 30 years before becoming eligible (this minimum was 17 years before 1989, and certain offenses carry different minimums). Some of the most serious offenses carry life without the possibility of release. (Special rules also apply to people who were juveniles at the time of the offense.)

Mandatory Minimums

Certain offenses carry mandatory minimum terms — for example, crimes where the defendant or an accomplice used or possessed a firearm or other dangerous weapon. In those cases, the person isn't eligible for early release until the full minimum is served. A prosecutor can move (or the court can act on its own) to sentence below the mandatory minimum if there are "substantial and compelling reasons," though this is limited for those with qualifying prior weapons offenses.

Related Forms of Release and Programs

The Department of Corrections also administers things like work release, furloughs, intensive community supervision, and conditional medical release in appropriate cases — each with their own eligibility rules.

Violations and Revocation

If someone on supervised release (or parole, for life/indeterminate cases) violates conditions, the Department can seek to revoke release and return them to custody. These decisions are discretionary and fact-specific, and there are procedural protections, including notice. If you or a loved one is facing a supervised-release or parole violation, the stakes — potential return to prison — make early legal help important.

Key Terms

• Determinate sentencing: A fixed-length sentence set at sentencing — Minnesota's system since 1980.
• Supervised release: The community portion (about one-third) of most sentences, served under conditions.
• Parole: Discretionary release that now survives only for life and pre-1980 sentences.
• Supervised Release Board: The body that handles discretionary release for those cases (since July 2024).
• MRRA: A law allowing eligible inmates to earn credits shifting time from prison to supervision.