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Probation and Parole in the United States, 2012

This report presents “data on adult offenders under community supervision while on probation or parole during 2012. The report describes trends in the overall community supervision population and reports on change in the probation and parole populations. It provides statistics on the number of offenders entering and exiting probation and parole and their average length of stay. The report describes the outcomes of supervision, including the rate at which offenders completed their term of supervision or were returned to incarceration for violating the conditions of supervision. Appendix tables include jurisdiction-level information on number of entries and exits, provide detail on type of entry to parole, and describe the national-level prevalence of offenders on probation or parole by sex, race, Hispanic origin, offense type, and supervision status.” Some highlights include: the number of adults under community supervision (both in parole and probation) declined; an estimated 4.1 million adults moved onto or off probation; the numbers of probationers (68%) and parolees (58%) who completed their term of supervision or were discharged increased; and during 2012, the number of state parolees decreased 0.6% while the number of individuals under federal probation increased 3.5%.