i understand that inmates accrue time off for good behavior and can leave the prison earlier than their full sentence, they go to a halfway house for some period and then spend the next 2 or 3 years having to check in with a probation officer.

my questions are:
1. if the inmate chooses to serve out his full sentence, does he avoid the halfway house and dealing with the probation officer?
2. if he does take the time off route, then what is actually involved in the whole probation officer thing?
3. what is the usual length of time of probation?
4. while he is on probation, what is he not allowed to do? can he go out for dinner and have a drink with friends?

any answer or direction would be great.
thx.