The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDC&R) is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole

Parole

Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...

 systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately 34,000 police officers. As of 2009, CDCR employed approximately 29,000 peace officers (state correctional officers), 1,800 state parole agents, and 692 criminal investigators/special agents.