Officers supervise, or monitor, all offenders conditionally released to the community by the federal courts, the U.S. Parole Commission, and military authorities. Community supervision gives officers the means to carry out the court's sentence and to accomplish offender rehabilitation and public safety goals.

Officers hold weighty public safety responsibilities. In supervising offenders, officers use risk control techniques designed to detect and deter criminal behavior. Such techniques include verifying employment, verifying income sources, monitoring offenders' associates, requiring offenders to undergo drug testing, and restricting offernders' travel. Also, if necessary, officers ask the court to modify the supervision conditions to provide for home confinement, financial disclosure, or other conditions to reduce risk. Supervision begins with assessing the offender, identifying potential supervision problems, and making a supervision plan. Assessment is a determination as to the potential risk the offender poses and affects the amount of personal contact the officer has with the offender. The supervision plan identifies the offender's problems and how to resolve them. Problems are those circumstances that limit the offender's ability or desire to comply with supervision and that directly affect the offender's ability to complete supervision successfully.

Officers periodically evaluate offenders' responses to supervision and revise supervision plans as necessary. Officers keep informed of the conduct and condition of offenders throughout supervision; help them improve, consistent with the court's order; and keep records of supervision activities. Offenders who do not comply with supervision conditions face sanctions ranging from reprimand to revocation proceedings. The most serious violations include violations for new criminal conduct, violations that compromise public safety, and absconding from supervision.