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Glossary

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Title: prison

Federal prisons

Prison facilities run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Prisoners housed in these facilities are under the legal authority of the federal government. This excludes private facilities under exclusive contract with BOP.

Imprisoned population

The population of inmates confined in prison or other facilities under the jurisdiction of the state or Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Imprisonment rate

The number of prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction sentenced to more than one year, per 100,000 U.S. residents.

Imprisonment rate

The number of prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction sentenced to more than 1 year per 100,000 U.S. residents.

Prison

Compared to jail facilities, prisons are longer-term facilities owned by a state or by the federal government. Prisons typically hold felons and persons with sentences of more than a year; however, the sentence length may vary by state. Six states (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, Alaska, and Hawaii) have an integrated correctional system that combines jails and prisons. There are a small number of private prisons, which are facilities run by private prison corporations whose services and beds are contracted out by state or federal governments.

Prisoner

An individual confined in a correctional facility under the legal authority (jurisdiction) of state and federal correctional officials.

Prisoners

Prisoners are inmates confined in long-term facilities run by the state or federal government or private agencies. They are typically felons who have received a sentence of incarceration of 1 year or more. (Sentence length may vary by state because a few states have one integrated prison system in which both prison and jail inmates are confined in the same types of facilities.)

Private prisons

Prison facilities run by private prison corporations whose services and beds are contracted out by state governments or the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Sentenced prisoner

A prisoner sentenced to more than 1 year.

Sentenced prisoners

Prisoners under the jurisdiction of state and federal correctional authorities who have been given a sentence of more than 1 year.

Sexual victimization as reported by inmates in jails and prisons or youth in juvenile facilities

Sexual victimization reported by inmates or youth includes any forced or coerced sexual acts or activity with another inmate or youth and any sexual acts or activity with facility staff.

Inmate-on-inmate or youth-on-youth sexual victimization involving force or coercion includes:

  • Forced or coerced sexual acts—unwanted contacts with another inmate or youth that involved anal or vaginal penetration, oral sex, handjobs, or other sexual acts.
  • Other forced or coerced sexual activity—unwanted contacts with another inmate or youth that involved touching of the buttocks, thigh, penis, breasts, or vagina in a sexual way that does not meet the description of forced or coerced sexual acts.

Staff-on-inmate or staff-on-youth sexual victimization includes:

  • Sexual acts—any contacts with staff that involved anal or vaginal penetration, oral sex, handjobs, or other sexual acts.
  • Other sexual activity—any contacts with staff that involved touching of the buttocks, this, penis, breasts, or vagina in a sexual way that does not meet the description of sexual acts.

State prisons

Prison facilities run by state correctional authorities. Prisoners housed in these facilities are under the legal authority of the state government and generally serving a term of more than 1 year.

Type of Admission to Prison

The reason an offender entered into the physical custody of a correctional facility.

Type of Release from Prison

The method of, or reason for, departure from the custody of your prison system on the reported date of release.