Final answer:
Correctional officers and supervisors form a substantial part of the workforce in state and federal prisons, although exact percentages require reference to specific statistical data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics or similar sources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Correctional officers and supervisors are essential components of the criminal justice system, playing a significant role in managing the incarcerated population in state and federal prisons. While specific percentages can vary over time, they represent a significant portion of the workforce within the corrections system, which includes other roles such as probation officers, legal professionals, and educators. Precise data on their percentage can be found in detailed statistical reports from sources such as the Bureau of Justice Statistics or the U.S. Department of Justice. Additionally, the burgeoning prison population, which saw an increase from 200,000 inmates in 1970 to 2.2 million in recent decades, underscores the increasing demands on correctional staff to manage and supervise a growing number of inmates.