The study sample was selected in July 1999 from the Correctional Service of Canada's Offender Management System. All participants were male Federal offenders who reached their full parole eligibility in 1996 and who received a comprehensive intake assessment to identify risk and need factors. The final sample consisted of 2,479 male federal offenders; 11.5 percent were Aboriginal and 88.5 percent were non-Aboriginal. Between-group comparisons of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders were conducted at two stages, parole eligibility and parole board decision. Aboriginal offenders were far less likely to apply for full parole than were non-Aboriginal offenders. In addition, Aboriginal offenders who applied for full parole were slightly less likely than non-Aboriginal offenders to be granted release. Aboriginal offenders in the Federal system appeared to have a criminal history that might substantially increased their perceived risk of failure on conditional release. Implications of the findings and areas for future research are discussed. 12 footnotes and 4 tables