How Supervision Works

The Minnesota Department of Corrections supervises two types of people:

  1. Felony sentenced individuals who have served the mandatory two-thirds of their prison sentence who have been released from prison and
  2. Probationers who were not committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections but reside in counties that do not find it practical to operate a local supervision program.

Felony:

Minnesota uses determinate sentencing. Under this system, there is no parole board and no time off for good behavior. Individuals serve two-thirds of their prison sentence incarcerated and the remaining third on supervised release. 

Every person on supervised release follows conditions such as having an approved residence, submitting to regular drug and alcohol tests, restrictions against accessing the Internet, and in some cases electronic monitoring. If someone violates the conditions of their release, a warrant will be issued and they will be taken into custody. The case will be reviewed to determine how severe the violation was and what action should be taken as a result. For some technical violations, people will have their release conditions restructured before being released back into the community to continue on supervision.

However, more severe violations will require the person to be brought back to prison. The DOC has the legal authority to bring people under supervision back to prison as long as the court-imposed sentence is in effect. The DOC does not have the authority to hold people beyond the expiration of their sentence.

Probationers:

In addition to supervising people who have been released from prison, the DOC also supervises probation cases in some counties. Probation is used as a alternative to incarceration. If someone violates their probation conditions, the case is referred back to the sentencing judge for review, and in some cases prison time may be imposed.

Voting

Your criminal record does not affect your right to vote in Minnesota unless you are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction .

Voting after a felony conviction

You can vote if you are not incarcerated, including if you are on parole. You will need to register to vote. It is best to register before Election Day, but it is not required. 

Print a factsheet on this topic

Download Voting with a Criminal Record factsheet.

You can vote if...

  • you were charged with or convicted of a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor.
  • you are in jail, but are not currently serving a felony sentence.
  • you have been charged with a felony, but you haven’t been convicted.
  • you have been given a stay of adjudication.
  • you have been convicted of a felony, but are not incarcerated.

You cannot vote if...

  • you are currently incarcerated serving a felony sentence.

Not sure about your legal status?

Sometimes it is not clear whether a felony charge results in a felony conviction. If you are unsure, you may want to seek legal advice from an attorney.

Community Notification

All individuals who are required to register as sex-offenders, are assigned a level 1, 2, or 3 when they leave prison. Level 3 is considered the highest risk to re-offend. If a Level 3 individual moves into your neighborhood, you will be notified by the local law enforcement agency.
Community Notification Fact Sheet

Search Level 3s

Click here to search Level 3s and those required to publicly register: 

Resources

General Resources for Public Notification Meetings Safety Tips for Parents Safety Tips for Children Characteristics of Child Molesters Common Tricks Training on predatory offenders for those who care for children and vulnerable adults

How to Contact an Agent

Trying to contact your agent?

Search for community services staff by visiting the Community Services Directory.

Reentry Services and Resources

"Our goal is to help criminal-justice-impacted people get access to opportunities, supports and services they need to thrive in communities and to reduce risk of future justice involvement."   -Kelley Heifort, DOC Director of Reentry Services

Reentry Services Main Page

          Getting Out: pre-release planning

          Staying Out: transitional programs, employment, housing & community resources

          Family, Friends & Partners: transition coalitions, employers, family supports

Intensive Supervised Release (ISR) Program

This statewide program provides intensive supervision for the highest-risk individuals. Supervision includes four face-to-face contacts weekly, electronic home monitoring, mandatory work or school, daily curfews, mandatory restitution, and random drug testing. 

ISR Fact Sheet

Wanted Fugitives

Fugitives are people serving their remaining 1/3 of their sentence on supervision in the community, who have allegedly violated terms of their supervised release and are evading authorities.

Active DOC Fugitives


If you have tips or information on the location of a fugitive, please call the DOC 24-hour tip line at 651-603-0026. Tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Minnesota, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization - Tip Line: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477),  search for the Crime Stoppers smartphone app for Android or iPhone, or Click Here.

Non-compliant Predatory Registrants

Certain people must register with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's BCA Predatory Offender Unit. This page allows the public to search the BCA database for non-compliant predatory individuals by first name, last name, age, and location. Those whose registration with the BCA is up-to-date will not be seen.