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50 State Reports

Supervision Violation Data Snapshot

States across the country saw changes in their prison admissions and populations due to supervision violations in 2020. But some states were already experiencing reductions in violation admissions and population prior to the pandemic. This snapshot shows available supervision violation data for North Carolina from 2018 through 2020.

Admissions

From 2018 to 2020, North Carolina saw a 1 percent decline in the number of prison admissions due to supervision violations.

The breakdown

Total Admissions Violation Admissions Technical Violation Admissions
201825209149642475
201924222143242381
202020838148392139
Total 2018 2019 2020
Total admissions 25,209 24,222 20,838
Total Violation admissions 14,964 14,314 14,839
Probation admissions 8,990 8,265 9,068
Parole admissions 5,974 6,059 5,771
Total Technical Violation admissions 2,475 2,381 2,139
Probation admissions 2,430 2,346 2,110
Parole admissions 45 35 29
Total New Offense admissions 12,489 11,943 12,700
Probation admissions 6,560 5,919 6,958
Parole admissions 5,929 6,024 5,742
Population

From 2018 to 2020, North Carolina saw a 34 percent decline in the number of people in prison due to supervision violations.

The breakdown

Total Population Violation Population Technical Violation Population
20183710410517552
20193605310094454
2020300586974203
Total 2018 2019 2020
Total population 37,104 36,053 30,058
Total Violation population 10,517 10,094 6,974
Probation population 6,504 5,973 3,971
Parole population 4,013 4,121 3,003
Total Technical Violation population 552 454 203
Probation population 543 448 200
Parole population 9 6 3
Total New Offense population 9,965 9,640 6,771
Probation population 5,961 5,525 3,771
Parole population 4,004 4,115 3,000

Additional State Notes

Population and admissions numbers for North Carolina were obtained from their Automated System Query tool. Population data from 2018 to 2019 is based on the fiscal year. Population data from 2020 is based on the calendar year.

Figures used include only "Conditional Release Violator" (CRV) admissions, which represent a minimum estimate for admissions due to technical violations. CRV facility admissions only include people with technical violations, but there are likely additional admissions due to technical violations that do not go to CRVs. Population data includes 228 Safekeeper (a form of pretrial) admissions.

Technical probation and parole violations may include people who ultimately receive a new felony conviction.


Whether an incarceration is the result of a new offense or technical violation is often difficult and problematic to delineate, even in states with available data. Most states do not consider a supervision violation to be the result of a new offense unless a new felony conviction is present, meaning technical violations may include misdemeanor convictions or new arrests. "Prison" includes county jail if the county was reimbursed by the state for a person’s incarceration, which occurs in some, but not all, states. Supervision violations may include revocations (i.e., unsuccessful terminations of a supervision and completion of a sentence in prison or jail) or short-term sanctions (i.e., probation or parole jurisdiction is maintained and the person is incarcerated for a short period of time in prison or jail). Not all states impose or include short-term sanctions in their count of supervision violations.