假释是指犯人在他们的被判刑罚结束前，提前释放，但一般仍处于某种监督之下在监狱外服满刑期。

假释制度开始于19世纪中期的爱尔兰，当时监狱犯人可以通过参加一些监狱管教计划，争取得到提早释放的机会，允许表现好的监狱犯人在满足一定的条件下提早出狱，并在出狱后一段时间内继续受到监视。

Parole is the provisional release of a prisoner who agrees to certain conditions prior to the completion of the maximum sentence period, originating from the French parole ("voice", "spoken words"). The term became associated during the Middle Ages with the release of prisoners who gave their word.