High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole (“voice”, “spoken word”). Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their word of honor to abide by certain restrictions. One proposed reform is that parole bonds be used to encourage defendants not to re-offend. Parole should not be confused with probation, as parole is serving the remainder of a sentence outside of prison, where probation is given instead of a prison sentence and as such, tends to place more rigid obligations upon the individual serving the term.