Queensland's parole board will need to take into account assaults on corrections staff and any available national security intelligence when deciding whether to release prisoners.
The board's new president Michael Byrne QC said the revamped guidelines would ensure its decisions were "robust and practical".
"They tell the parole board various factors which they should have regard to," Mr Byrne said.
"The board takes a holistic approach to every person who applies for parole, with the ultimate concern being the safety of Queenslanders."
Mr Byrne said it was preferable to release prisoners on parole with strict supervision, than to have them serve their full sentence and be released with no supervision.
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Corrective Services Minister Mark Bailey said the board was independent of the government but the guidelines would give them a framework to make decisions in the best interests of Queenslanders.
"Our new parole board structure is all about making the best decisions possible that minimise risk, and enhance community safety," he said.
However opposition corrections spokesman Tim Mander said the changes were just "window dressing".
"Prison populations have increased dramatically over the last couple of years and that's leading to increasing tensions, and that's why we're seeing more assaults on prison officers," Mr Mander said.
The new single state parole board was consolidated from the three previous boards following recommendations in the Sofronoff review of the state's parole system.
That review was sparked by the stabbing murder of an 81-year-old Townsville woman, allegedly by a man released on parole just seven hours earlier.
