This report presents findings on individuals under community supervision (i.e., probation or parole) in the United States in 2023. It includes characteristics of the U.S. community supervision population such as sex, race or ethnicity, and most serious offense. The report provides statistics related to movements on and off community supervision and details types of exits (e.g., completing one’s term of supervision, being incarcerated, absconding, or other unsatisfactory outcomes while in the community). Findings are based on data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ annual probation survey, annual parole survey, and federal justice statistics program. At yearend 2023, an estimated 3,772,000 adults were under community supervision, up 27,900 (0.7%) from January 1, 2023. From yearend 2013 to yearend 2023, among comparable agencies, the total adult community supervision population declined 23%. During 2023, the number of adults on parole declined from 700,800 to 680,400 (down 2.9%). The probation population increased for a second consecutive year in 2023, from 3,064,200 on January 1 to 3,103,400 on December 31 (up 1.3%).

Families and couples with active-duty service members live in every community across the country, not just in locations near military installations. By virtue of their military connection and employment, active-duty personnel have unique priorities, resources, rights, constraints, and obligations that civilian individuals involved as parties in family law matters do not have. It is important that judges are aware of a litigants’ active-duty status because this status triggers a variety of considerations that need to be taken into account. There are few guides or resources for civilian judges and legal professionals to help them obtain relevant information from parties that have an active-duty status and military assignment. To help bridge this gap, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has developed bench cards to provide guidance and answer questions aimed at eliciting vital information about cases in child welfare, family violence, and juvenile justice involving military-connected families. Each bench card sets forth targeted questions aimed at gathering relevant details about the family’s circumstances, such as deployment status, base location, and access to military resources. This information will help judges make informed decisions that support the well-being of military families and consider the unique needs and circumstances of a family’s connection with the military.

One way to reduce possible misconduct when police have face-to-face interactions with citizens is to limit the number of such encounters through the use of smart policing technology such as robotics. However, robotics that are not utilized ethically could open new avenues for abuse. This study identifies the risks and benefits of using a combination of AI and robotics (termed ‘robocops’ for purposes of this study) from a technological, legal, and ethical perspective. The study makes 25 recommendations by building from available literature listing language that should be included in a comprehensive model regulation of smart policing, including regulating robocops. These recommendations include participatory budgeting, de-militarizing the use of robocops, mandating traceability with audits and impact assessments, and restricting the use of facial recognition technology. Between 2002 and 2008, 40 million residents had face-to-face contact with police. In 2020, there were more at 53.8 million. Thus, the use of smart policing cameras and robocops might be a solution to reducing potentially negative encounters.

This report describes (1) selected federal agencies’ initiatives that support rural K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; (2) challenges that selected recipients of federal funds and other stakeholders have reported related to supporting rural K-12 STEM education; and (3) approaches that selected recipients of federal funds have found to be effective for supporting rural K-12 STEM education. All four federal agencies included in the study—Department of Education, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture—generally reported supporting K-12 STEM education for rural populations as part of broader initiatives. Some initiatives focused on recruiting and training STEM educators, while others focused on enhancing STEM learning and career exploration for students in rural schools, such as through educational field trips and hands-on activities. At the local level, school and district officials in Alabama, Maine, Nevada, and South Dakota reported that staffing challenges and limited access to STEM learning opportunities and materials were barriers to providing K-12 STEM education in rural areas. To improve access to STEM materials, rural stakeholders highlighted strategies such as using federal funds to purchase equipment and sharing materials across rural districts. Stakeholders also highlighted the value of connecting STEM activities to students’ local environments to spark students’ interest in STEM.

This brief examines two statewide workforce-focused initiatives in Virginia. The authors present a snapshot of how two initiatives—G3 and Growth and Opportunity (GP)Virginia—interact, and the research team describes opportunities for more strategic efforts to align the initiatives’ goals and investments. G3 is a scholarship program for students in the Virginia Community College System; to be eligible, students must enroll in a program of study in one of five high-demand fields: healthcare, skilled trades, information technology, early childhood education, and public safety. GO Virginia is an initiative launched to promote regional collaboration to grow and diversify regional economies; the initiative encourages collaboration around specific projects, bringing business, education, and government entities together to develop proposals for creating and increasing access to more high-paying jobs. Both G3 and GO Virginia are designed to increase the supply of skilled workers for high-demand jobs and facilitate access to jobs, trades, and professions for which a high demand for qualified workers exists or is projected. Virginia is making progress toward creating stronger alignment between workforce and economic development initiatives through ongoing investments in G3 and GO Virginia. However, there is potential for G3 and GO Virginia to coordinate further to increase opportunities more effectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected standardized testing for college admissions, with most colleges going “test optional” due to testing center closures. Recently, some colleges have reinstated testing requirements and others continue to consider test scores for admissions, placement, and merit-based aid. While the landscape shifted after COVID-19, standardized tests like the ACT and SAT remain highly relevant to prospective college students. Although students, researchers, and policymakers may understand the continued importance of standardized testing, what’s less certain is the value of test preparation. Debates over the fairness of the ACT and SAT in the college admissions process often center on concerns that the tests undermine the value of the scores for predicting success in college and favor students who have access to high-quality test preparation. This report reviews the somewhat limited evidence on who uses test preparation and how effective it is at improving scores. Researchers found that high school juniors from low- and middle-class families are less likely to have engaged in specific test prep activities and taken the ACT and SAT than their economically better-off peers. Researchers also found that Asian American and Pacific Islander students are the most likely to have prepared for and taken the ACT and SAT, followed by Black, white, and Hispanic students. Overall, research suggests that students benefit from preparing for college admissions exams, but the effects of test preparation are generally modest, especially compared to the claims of some test preparation programs.

The U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights released new data including credit scores, delinquency rates, credit card balances, and mortgage and student loan balances by county, race and class for children born between 1978 and 1985. The researchers constructed new population-level linked administrative data to study households' access to credit in the United States. The data reveals large differences in credit access by race, class, and hometown. By age 25, Black individuals, those who grew up in low-income families and those who grew up in certain areas (e.g., the Southeast and Appalachia) have significantly lower credit scores than other groups. Consistent with lower scores generating credit constraints, these individuals have smaller balances, more credit inquiries, higher credit card utilization rates, and greater use of alternative higher-cost forms of credit. From a balance perspective, these groups receive lower credit scores even when comparing those with the same future repayment behavior.

The laws and regulations that govern contracting with the federal government are designed to ensure that federal procurements are conducted fairly. On occasion, vendors or offerors interested in government procurements may have reason to believe that a contract has been, or is about to be, awarded improperly or illegally or that they have been improperly denied a contract or an opportunity to compete for a contract. GAO's bid protest forum is a major avenue for relief for those concerned about the propriety of an award. The bid protest process established in the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 seeks to provide a meaningful dispute resolution process while also ensuring the timely resolution of protests so that agencies can proceed with acquiring necessary goods or services. GAO resolves all protests to the maximum extent practicable within 100 calendar days of filing. Additionally, the office is authorized to dismiss protests that, on their face, do not state a valid basis for protest. GAO routinely resolves over 1,000 bid protests annually within the 100-calendar day period. Protesters achieve some form of relief in approximately 50% of cases filed with the office; GAO's bid protest statistics reflect that over the past 10 years, protest filings have overall declined by approximately 32%.

Many rural areas have high numbers of disabled people, but these areas are often absent from data and research. Without good data, it is difficult to plan helpful programs and communities may not receive needed funding or services. Even when data exists, it is often dated, proprietary, or difficult to understand. In addition, local groups in rural communities do not always have the tools or staff to find and use data, making it harder to describe community need and make funding requests. There are several actions that may improve data for this population, including improving definitions of “rural” and “disability” and simplifying data collection and use. This report shows how leaders, funders, and community members can support disabled people and strengthen rural communities. The Urban Institute and the University of Montana’s Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities began exploring data on disability in rural areas. The research team held two listening sessions with advocates, service providers, and staff from federal agencies. These stakeholders explained how they find and use data and identified data that is still lacking. The research team then hosted a public online event called Elevating Rural Disability Data for Policy Impact. One panel explored gaps in research and data, and another panel examined how data can be used to better serve disabled people in rural communities.

Pedestrians and pedal cyclists are two classes of vulnerable road users. Pedestrian and pedal cyclist injury deaths include injuries sustained due to walking, running, standing, or otherwise being on foot on a public road or private property and cycling on a public road or private property, respectively, and include motor vehicle traffic-related and non-motor vehicle traffic-related injuries. This report describes trends in pedestrian and pedal cyclist injury deaths from 2013 to 2023 by age group, census region, and sex. Between 2013 and 2023, the age-adjusted rate of pedestrian and pedal cyclist injury death in the United States rose from 2.1 deaths per 100,000 standard population to 2.9. During the period, rates increased in the Midwest, South, and West; no significant change was seen in rates for the Northeast. In all years, rates were higher for the South and West compared with those for the Northeast and Midwest. Among women ages 25–44 and 45–64, the rate of pedestrian and pedal cyclist injury death increased between during the review period. No significant trends were observed between 2013 and 2023 for females ages 0–14 and 15–24 and women age 65 and older. Among men age 25 and older, the death rate for pedestrian and pedal cyclist injury increased between 2013 and 2023. The death rate decreased for males ages 0–14 in this same period, with no significant trend seen for males ages 15–24.

This report presents complete period life tables for the United States by Hispanic origin and race and sex, based on age-specific death rates in 2023. Data used to prepare these tables are 2023 final mortality statistics; July 1, 2023, population estimates based on the blended base population estimates produced by the U.S. Census Bureau; and 2023 Medicare data for people ages 66–99. In 2023, the overall expectation of life at birth was 78.4 years, increasing 0.9 year from 77.5 years in 2022. Between 2022 and 2023, life expectancy at birth increased by 1.0 year for males (from 74.8 to 75.8) and by 0.9 year for females (80.2 to 81.1). Between 2022 and 2023, life expectancy increased by 2.3 years for the American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanic population (67.8 to 70.1), by 1.3 years for the Hispanic population (80.0 to 81.3), by 1.2 years for the Black non-Hispanic population (72.8 to 74.0), by 0.9 year or the White non-Hispanic population (77.5 to 78.4), and by 0.8 year for the Asian non-Hispanic population (84.4 to 85.2).

Diabetes impacts over 25% of Medicare beneficiaries, with more than 3.3 million of those beneficiaries requiring insulin to manage their blood sugar levels. Insulin has been notably expensive, particularly for Medicare beneficiaries with Part D drug coverage who, before 2025, entered certain phases of the benefit where cost-sharing was higher. Between 2023 and 2025, multiple insulin-related policies took effect for Medicare Part D plans, including the Part D Senior Savings Model test (2021–2023) and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, provisions of which were implemented. These policies created a variety of financial incentives for plans that may influence insulin formulary design in Part D, potentially affecting beneficiary access to insulin. This study examined several outcomes capturing elements of the strategic formulary design process. Researchers found that plans are moving insulins to a single tier but not broadly changing utilization management tool strategies. Combination agents account for most insulins with quantity limits, and concentrated insulins account for the bulk of insulins with prior authorization requirements. In addition, the average number of insulins covered on Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans formularies increased from 24 in 2020 to 29 in 2025, peaking at 32 in 2024. The Prescription Drug Plans covered fewer insulins, on average, but peaked in 2024 at 28. The maximum number of covered insulins varied annually, ranging from 40 to 77, depending on plan type and year. This study demonstrates strategic adjustments that insurers may be making in response to policy changes; an ongoing study will be needed to monitor access to and spending on insulin in Medicare as the market and policy context continue to evolve.