Answer: The release is both a ceromony and a punishment. For the Elders, it is a ceromony, and they think that when someone is being released, they are moved somewhere else. The release also, acts like a punishment, with 3 strikes and you are out.
*For the Elders* The release is started with a ceromony in which they all say goodbye, and speechs. The Elder then is placed on a chair and they inject a needle with a serum in there. The Elder is killed, but they think they are going somewhere else.
*For punishment* No ceremony, just the needle and whoop!
*For babys* Same thing as the punishment, but the baby is wrapped with a blanket and placed in a box.
The people don't know that they are killing them, Jonas finds that out when The Giver gave him a memory in which, he saw someone die.