Confused about parole vs probation? Probation is a court-ordered sentence served in the community, usually in place of prison, while parole is supervised release after a prison term. Both come with conditions you must follow.
This guide sits within our wider coverage of prison reentry.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Adults on probation or parole, end of 2018 | 4,399,000 adults |
| Adults on probation, end of 2018 | 3,540,000 adults |
| Adults on parole, end of 2018 | 878,000 adults |
| Share of supervised adults on probation vs parole | About 80% vs 20% |
| Adults under community supervision, end of 2018 | 1 in 58 adults |
These figures come from the Bureau of Justice Statistics bulletin published in August 2020. BJS lists newer editions on its community corrections page, and the numbers can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What is the difference between probation and parole?
Probation is a court-ordered period of correctional supervision in the community, generally as an alternative to incarceration, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. In some cases it is a combined sentence: time in custody followed by a period of community supervision.
Parole is a period of conditional supervised release in the community following a term in state or federal prison. Parolees include people released through discretionary or mandatory supervised release.
The short version: probation is ordered by a court and is generally an alternative to prison, while parole follows time already spent in prison.
Probation and parole side by side
The two sound similar because both happen outside prison walls. These are the main points that set them apart:
- Starting point: probation begins with a court order, while parole begins with release from prison.
- Relationship to prison: probation is generally an alternative to incarceration, while parole comes after a state or federal prison term.
- Where it happens: both are served in the community rather than behind bars.
- Nature of release: parole is a conditional release, so staying free depends on following its conditions.
Statisticians group the two under one label. The BJS defines the community-supervision population as those on either probation or parole, with anyone on both counted only once.
How common are probation and parole?
At the end of 2018, an estimated 4,399,000 adults in the U.S. were on probation or parole, according to the BJS bulletin. That works out to about 1 in 58 adults, down from 1 in 45 in 2008.
Probation is by far the larger group. About 80% of people under community supervision were on probation (3,540,000 adults) and the remaining 20% were on parole (878,000 adults).
The trends moved in opposite directions. From 2008 to 2018 the adult probation population declined 17%, while the adult parole population increased 6%.
What happens when conditions are broken?
Breaking the conditions of supervision can lead to incarceration. The BJS has published figures on how often this happened in earlier years.
- Probation, 2014: of all persons on probation during the year, the incarceration rate among those violating their conditions of supervision was 5 percent, including incarceration for a new offense or a revocation (archived BJS release).
- Parole, 2014: among all persons on parole during the year, an estimated 9 percent were reincarcerated, according to the same release.
Many people finish supervision successfully. In 2012, 68% of probationers and 58% of parolees completed their term of supervision or were discharged early, based on the BJS summary of that year.
Where to go next after release
If you are worried about where to live while on supervision, our explainer on what is a halfway house is a useful next read.
If you want to see what support exists for work, services and stability, our overview of reentry programs for felons covers the options.
This site is independent and educational. It cannot tell you the terms of your own supervision, so rely on the paperwork from your court or supervising agency for your exact conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Is parole the same as probation?
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No. Probation is a court-ordered period of supervision in the community, generally as an alternative to incarceration. Parole is conditional supervised release that follows a prison term, as defined in the BJS bulletin.
Can someone be on probation and parole at once?
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Yes, but it is rare. The BJS reports that people on both probation and parole made up less than 1% of those under community supervision in 2018.
Which is more common?
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Probation. At the end of 2018 it accounted for about 80% of adults under community supervision, while parolees made up the remaining 20%, per the BJS bulletin.
Are these statistics up to date?
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The counts above are year-end figures from an earlier edition. The BJS community corrections page lists newer editions, including the two most recent editions of Probation and Parole in the United States, so check them for recent numbers.
