Corrections FAQ's

• Q: How many persons are in prison or jail in the United States?
  
  A: As of mid year 1994, State and Federal prisons held 1,012,851 inmates, and local jails as of midyear 1993 held 454,620. Over 1.5 million people are incarcerated at present. Prisons usually are reserved for more serious offenders who are serving more than a year. Jails are usually operated by localities and hold persons awaiting trial or transfer to prison and offenders serving less severe sentences.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "State and Federal Prison Population Tops One Million," (NCJ 151168), Press Release, October 1994.
  
  
• Q: How many women are in prison?
  
  A: There were 6,891 Federal female inmates and 48,474 State female inmates at year end 1993. Women were 5.8#37; of State and Federal prisoners. There were 38 women in prison per 100,000 female U.S. residents.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Prisoners in 1993" (NCJ 147036) June 1994.
  
  
• Q: What is the incarceration rate of white and black male sentenced prisoners per 100,000 adult male U.S. residents?
  
  A: In 1992, 502 white males were incarcerated for every 100,000 white male adults, and 4,094 black males were incarcerated per 100,000 black male adults (21 or older) in the Nation.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Correctional Populations in the U.S. 1992," (NCJ 146413), January 1995.
  
  
• Q: How many persons are under some form of correctional supervision?
  
  A: Altogether at the end of 1993, 4.8 million adults were incarcerated or were under community supervision (probation, parole, or other type of correctional program). Over 70&337; of persons under some form of criminal sentence are being supervised in the community.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Probation and Parole Populations Reach New Highs" (NCJ 149730) Press Release, September 1994.
  
  
• Q: How many inmates are under sentence of death in the United States?
  
  A: At year end 1993, 34 States and the Federal prison system held 2,716 inmates under sentence of death. California held the largest number, with 363 inmates on death row.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Capital Punishment 1993," (NCJ 150042), December, 1994.
  
  
• Q: How much does it cost to incarcerate one inmate in a State prison?
  
  A: The most recent estimate of operating expenses per State inmate was $15,586 a year in 1990. That cost figure includes salaries, supplies, utilities, and contractual services but not construction and debt costs.
  Source: The 1992 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities (NCJ 137003)
  
  
• Q: Have prisoners become more violent over the past decade?
  
  A: Among inmates admitted to State prison directly from court, not counting parole revocation, 48.2% in 1980, 35.1% in 1985, 27.0% in 1990, and 28.5% in 1992 were sentenced for a violent crime. Among the same inmates, the percent sentenced for a drug offense went from 6.8&337; in 1980 to 30.5% in 1992.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Prisoners in 1993," (NCJ 147036) June 1994.
  
  
• Q: How many secure private correctional facilities were in operation or under construction in the United States in 1994?
  
  A: As of December 31, 1994, there were 88 privately operated correctional facilities in the United States.
  Source: Thomas, Charles W, "Private Adult Correctional Facility Census," Eighth Edition - March 1, 1995.
  
  
• Q: Does the State prison population hold an increasing proportion of older prisoners?
  
  A: BJS has conducted two surveys of State inmates. In both 1986 and 1991 prisoners age 55 or older were 3% of all inmates. The median age of offenders entering prison directly from court was 27 or 28 years from 1987 through 1992; the median age of those leaving prison for the first time on a sentence was 28 or 29 years for the same period.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Survey of State Prison Inmates, 1991" National Corrections Reporting Program. Annual. 1987. April 1992 (NCJ 134928), 1988. April 1992. (NCJ 134929), 1989. November 1992. (NCJ 138222), 1990. May 1993. (NCJ 141879), 1991. February 1994. (NCJ 145861), 1992. October 1994. (NCJ 145862).
  
  
• Q: Which States have the largest prison populations?
  
  A: In 1993 the 10 States with the largest prison populations held 53% of the total prison population nationwide -- California, Texas, and New York accounting for over 25%. Texas had the highest incarceration rate with 533 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 residents.
  Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Prisoners in 1993," (NCJ 147036), June, 1994.