Provides information on facilities, inmates, programs, and staff of State and Federal correctional facilities throughout the Nation, and of private correctional facilities housing State or Federal inmates. Earlier censuses in this series were conducted in 1974, 1979, 1984, 1990, and 1995. Information was collected from prisons; prison boot camps; reception, diagnosis, and classification centers; prison forestry camps and farms; prison hospitals; youthful offender facilities (except in California); facilities for alcohol and drug treatment; work release and prerelease; and State-operated local detention facilities in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. State-level data are presented on facility, inmate, and staff characteristics, as well as facility programs. Comparisons are made, when possible, with findings from the previous census conducted in 1995.
- The number of adult correctional facilities increased 14%, from1,464 at midyear 1995, when the previous census was conducted, to 1,668 at midyear 2000.
- In 2000, 264 privately operated facilities were under contract with State or Federal authorities to house prisoners -- an increase of 140%. The number of inmates held in these facilities rose 459% (from 16,663 inmates in June 1995 to 93,077 in June 2000).
- A total of 430,033 correctional staff were employed in State and Federal prisons on June 30, 2000. Nearly two-thirds of these staff (270,317) were correctional officers, responsible for custody/security.