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Parole and Probation in New Hampshire
If someone you love is on parole or probation in New Hampshire, or if you have just gotten out and are trying to understand what is expected of you, this guide is written for both of you. New Hampshire has an active Adult Parole Board that makes discretionary release decisions for state prisoners, and the same state agency, the Division of Field Services within the Department of Corrections, supervises everyone in the community whether they are on probation, parole, or administrative home confinement. Understanding what each of those three categories means, and which one applies to your person, is where to start.
Three forms of community supervision in New Hampshire
New Hampshire uses three distinct supervision arrangements all administered by the same division.
Probation is a sentence imposed by the court. When a person is convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, a court may release them into the community instead of prison, under supervision and conditions set by the court. Field Services supervises probationers.
Parole is a conditional early release from state prison granted by the Adult Parole Board. A person eligible for parole has served the minimum sentence set by the court and the board agrees they are ready for supervised release to complete the remainder of the sentence in the community. Field Services supervises parolees.
Administrative Home Confinement, sometimes called AHC or house arrest, is a third form of supervised release from the state correctional system. When inmates are approved for AHC, they are released to be confined to their homes within certain parameters. Field Services supervises them through electronic monitoring and home visits.
All three are handled by the same probation/parole officers employed by NHDOC's Division of Field Services through 11 district offices aligned with the state's Superior Courts.
How to find someone in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections provides a public Inmate Locator searchable by name or offender ID number. The locator shows the offender's minimum and maximum sentence, current facility, parole status, and projected release information. The offender number is the identification number assigned to each person in the NHDOC system.
For county jail inmates, New Hampshire has 10 counties each with its own jail operated by the county sheriff. County jail inmates are not in the NHDOC state search. Contact the county sheriff directly or check the county's website.
New Hampshire also participates in VINELink for automated custody status notifications at state prisons and participating county jails.
For federal inmates at FCI Berlin in Coos County, that is a Bureau of Prisons facility and requires the federal BOP inmate locator, not the state search.
NHDOC's main office is at 105 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03302; (603) 271-5600.
How parole works in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Adult Parole Board is an independent agency that reports directly to the governor. It consists of seven members appointed by the Governor and approved by the Executive Council. Members serve five-year terms and may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Three board members must preside over each hearing by law. The board is part-time, meaning members report for duty only when scheduled for hearings.
Parole hearings are held in person on Thursdays at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men and the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women, both in Concord. Parole revocation hearings are generally held on Tuesdays as needed. Hearings are open to the public; anyone wishing to attend must be 18 or older and contact the board at (603) 271-2569 in advance.
To be eligible for parole, a person must have completed the minimum sentence ordered by the court. They must also demonstrate increasingly responsible behavior while in prison, including participating in programming, maintaining conduct, and having an approved release plan. A Field Services parole officer conducts a pre-parole investigation before any release, reviewing education, residency, employment, and continued counseling plans.
New Hampshire uses indeterminate sentencing, meaning courts impose both a minimum and a maximum. The minimum is the earliest parole can be granted; the maximum is when the person is released regardless if parole was denied throughout. Once on parole, a person can earn a reduction of the maximum sentence equal to one-third of the period of parole time at liberty without violation or recommitment.
Standard parole conditions are set by the Adult Parole Board's administrative rules and include regular reporting to a Field Services officer, remaining in New Hampshire without permission, no new criminal conduct, drug and alcohol testing, and compliance with treatment or programming.
The board also reviews medical parole petitions for inmates with terminal, debilitating, or incapacitating conditions. Medical parole requires a majority vote of the full seven-member board.
2025 legislation: parole for life-without-parole prisoners
In 2025, New Hampshire lawmakers considered HB 638, which would allow older prisoners serving a sentence of life without parole to become eligible for parole after meeting certain requirements. The Adult Parole Board indicated this bill, if enacted, would not have a significant fiscal impact on board operations. The status of this bill should be confirmed before relying on it, as enactment was not confirmed at the time of writing.
How probation works in New Hampshire
Probation in New Hampshire is a court-ordered sentence that allows a person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony to remain in the community under supervision and conditions imposed by the court. Field Services supervises probationers through the same officers and district offices that handle parole.
Conditions are set by the sentencing court. Standard conditions include regular reporting to a probation/parole officer, remaining in New Hampshire, no new criminal conduct, drug and alcohol testing, and compliance with court-ordered programming, treatment, or restitution. Field Services collects restitution and assists with approximately 2,700 restitution cases per year statewide.
Probation violations are brought back to the sentencing court, which can continue probation, modify conditions, or revoke and impose a sentence of incarceration.
Administrative home confinement
New Hampshire's Administrative Home Confinement program is worth understanding separately because it is a state DOC release, not a court sentence. When inmates are approved for AHC, they are released from a correctional facility to be confined to their homes under electronic monitoring. Field Services officers conduct home visits to verify compliance. An AHC participant is still technically in NHDOC custody; a violation can result in return to a correctional facility.
AHC is distinct from probation and from parole. It is a DOC-administered form of release that does not require a Parole Board decision.
Reporting and your supervision officer
This section is for the person on supervision. Whether you are on probation, parole, or AHC, your officer works for NHDOC's Division of Field Services at one of 11 district offices aligned with the Superior Courts. The division's main number is (603) 271-5652.
Know your conditions. Read the parole conditions or probation order and keep a copy. Know your reporting schedule. Ask before you miss anything.
Contact before you act. Travel, address changes, job changes: anything that touches your conditions requires your officer's approval first.
For families: use the NHDOC Inmate Locator to confirm custody or parole status. For parole hearing information, contact the Adult Parole Board at (603) 271-2569.
Violations: what families should know
For parole violations, board members are always available to issue arrest warrants for parole violators and to consult with parole officers on problem cases. A parolee arrested under RSA 651-A:15-a is entitled to a hearing before the board within 45 days, plus any preliminary hearing. The parolee has the right to appear and be heard at the revocation hearing. If the board finds a violation, it can revoke parole and recommit the person to NHDOC custody.
For probation violations, the sentencing court holds the hearing and can continue, modify, or revoke probation.
For AHC violations, the person can be returned to a correctional facility.
In all cases: get an attorney involved immediately. Document mitigating circumstances. Show up to hearings.
Early termination and getting off supervision
For parole, compliance while on parole earns a reduction of the maximum sentence at a ratio of one-third of parole time at liberty. Completing parole successfully means the sentence expires. The board can also discharge early.
For probation, the sentencing court can terminate probation early on petition.
New Hampshire has an annulment process for certain records, separate from supervision discharge, administered in part through Field Services. An attorney is the right resource for annulment questions.
[Internal link block to render at foot of article:]
- See every prison and jail in New Hampshire: /prisons/new-hampshire
- Send mail or photos to someone in New Hampshire: InmateAid mail and photos service
- Send money to someone in New Hampshire: InmateAid send money
- Search arrest records in New Hampshire: Arrest Record Search (honestly labeled affiliate)
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between parole and probation?
Probation is court-imposed community supervision. Parole is early release from state prison granted by the Adult Parole Board. Both are supervised by NHDOC's Division of Field Services.
What is the New Hampshire Adult Parole Board?
An independent agency reporting directly to the governor, with seven governor-appointed members serving five-year terms. Three members must preside over each hearing. The board grants, defers, or denies parole for eligible state prisoners.
What is administrative home confinement in NH?
A state DOC-administered release from prison where the person is confined to their home under electronic monitoring, supervised by Field Services. It is not a court sentence and does not require a Parole Board decision.
How does NH indeterminate sentencing work?
Courts impose both a minimum and maximum sentence. The minimum is when parole eligibility begins. The maximum is when the person is released regardless of parole status. Good behavior on parole can reduce the maximum by up to one-third.
What is the parole sentence credit in NH?
A parolee can earn a reduction of the maximum sentence equal to one-third of the time spent at liberty on parole without violation or recommitment.
How do I find someone in NH state custody?
Use the NHDOC Inmate Locator by name or offender ID number. It shows minimum/maximum sentence, facility, and parole status. For county jails, contact the sheriff directly. VINELink covers state prisons and some county jails.
What is the NH parole board phone number?
The Adult Parole Board can be reached at (603) 271-2569. Hearings are held in person on Thursdays at the state prison in Concord.
When does parole eligibility begin in NH?
After completing the court-ordered minimum sentence and demonstrating increasingly responsible behavior, including programming participation and having an approved release plan.
Who supervises probation and parole in NH?
The NHDOC Division of Field Services through 11 district offices aligned with the Superior Courts. The same officers supervise probation, parole, and AHC.
What happened with HB638 in 2025?
HB638 would allow older prisoners serving life without parole to become eligible for parole after meeting certain criteria. Verify the current enactment status before relying on it.
What rights does a parolee have at revocation?
A parolee arrested for a violation is entitled to a hearing before the board within 45 days, plus any preliminary hearing, and has the right to appear and be heard. Board members are available to issue warrants and consult on cases at any time.
What is the NH DOC main phone number?
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections main office in Concord can be reached at (603) 271-5600. The Division of Field Services main number is (603) 271-5652. =====================================================
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