Probation and Parole in the United States, 2008
"Presents the number of adults under community supervision (probation or parole) at yearend 2008 and the growth rates in these populations during the year and since 2000. The report examines factors associated with changes in the probation and parole populations, such as the number of entries and exits, the rate at which probationers and parolees exit supervision, changes in the populations within jurisdictions, and compositional changes in both populations. The bulletin also provides 2008 detailed data in appendix tables by jurisdiction, including entries and exits by type, gender, race and Hispanic origin, type of offense, supervision status, offenders (including sex offenders) tracked through a Global Positioning System (GPS), and other information.

Highlights include the following:

Nearly 5.1 million adults were under community supervision at yearend 2008—the equivalent of about 1 in every 45 adults in the United States.
Probationers (4,270,917) represented the majority (84%) of the community supervision population in 2008; parolees (828,169) accounted for a smaller share (16%).
The probation (0.9%) and parole (0.9%) populations grew at the same rate during 2008. The probation population increased by 36,446 probationers while the parole population increased by 6,992 parolees during the year."