Characteristics considered include type of release, sex, time served, age, commitment offense, prior criminal record, maximum sentence, and county of commitment. This report was prepared from the computerized inmate information files maintained by the State Division of Management Information Services. During 1978, there were 7,959 inmates released from State facilities. The majority, 87.6 percent, were released to parole supervision. Males accounted for 96.4 percent of all inmates discharged. Persons released to parole supervision for the first time on the current sentence made up 73.5 percent of all persons discharged. The median time served by males released at the discretion of the Board of Parole was 22.2 months, while female first paroles had a median time of 17.5 months. Persons committed for murder served the longest periods of time, 88 months for male first paroles. Rape commitments were the next longest, at 39.5 months served. Most of the 1978 releases had a prior criminal record; only 11.1 percent had no adult criminal history. Approximately 64 percent of the inmates released were under 30 years of age, and two out of three persons released had been committed from New York City. Extensive tables and graphs comprise the report. (Author abstract modified)