U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin Prisoners in 2000 August 2001, NCJ 188207 -------------------------------------------------- This file is text only without graphics and many of the tables. A Zip archive of the tables in this report in spreadsheet format (.wk1) and the full report including tables and graphics in .pdf format are available from: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/p00.htm This report is one in a series. More recent editions may be available. To view a list of all in the series go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs pubalp2.htm#Prisoners -------------------------------------------------- By Allen J. Beck, Ph.D. and Paige M. Harrison BJS Statisticians -------------------------------------------------- Highlights Sentenced prisoner Population housed as Per 100,000 a percent of highest Decem- Number of inmates resident population capacity ber 31 Federal State Federal State Federal State 1990 65,526 708,379 20 272 -- 115% 1995 100,250 1,025,624 32 379 126% 114 1999 135,246 1,228,455 42 434 132 101 2000 145,416 1,236,476 45 432 131 100 --Not available. * In the last 6 months of 2000, the State prison population declined about 6,200 inmates (down 0.5%) -- the first measured decline in the State prison population since 1972. * Between January 1 and December 31, 2000, 13 States experienced decreases, led by Massachusetts (down 5.6%), followed by New Jersey (down 5.4%), New York (down 3.7%) and Texas (down 3.2%). * Five States -- Idaho (up 14.1%), North Dakota (14.1%), Mississippi (10.9%), Vermont (10.5%), and Iowa (10.0%) had increases of at least 10% in 2000. * California (163,001 inmates), Texas (157,997), and the Federal system (145,416) together held 1 in every 3 prisoners in the Nation. The 10 States with the smallest prison systems, each holding fewer than 4,000 inmates, together held less than 2% of the Nation's prisoners. * At yearend 2000, privately operated facilities housed 87,369 inmates (5.8% of State and 10.7% of Federal inmates); local jails housed 63,140 State and Federal inmates (4.6% of all prisoners). * On December 31, 2000, State prisons were operating between full capacity and 15% above capacity, while Federal prisons were operating at 31% above capacity. * Between June 30, 1990, and June 30, 2000, when complete censuses of prison facilities were conducted, the number of State adult correctional facilities increased 351. At midyear 2000, there were 1,320 State adult facilities, 84 Federal facilities, and 264 privately operated facilities. During the decade, States added more than 528,000 beds (up 81%). * At yearend 2000, 91,612 women were in State or Federal prisons -- 6.6% of all prison inmates. Since 1990 the number of male prisoners has grown 77% (reaching 1,290,280 in 2000), while the number of female prisoners has increased 108%. * Among the more than 1.3 million sentenced inmates at yearend, an estimated 428,300 were black males between the ages of 20 and 39. At yearend 2000, 9.7% of black males age 25 to 29 were in prison, compared to 2.9% of Hispanic males and 1.1% of white males in the same age group. ---------------------------------------------- The total number of prisoners under the jurisdiction of Federal or State adult correctional authorities was 1,381,892 at yearend 2000. During the year the States and the District of Columbia added 8,021 prisoners, and the Federal prison system added 10,170 prisoners. Overall, the Nation's prison population grew 1.3%, which was less than the average annual growth of 6.0% since 1990. During 2000 the prison population rose at the lowest rate since 1972 and had the smallest absolute increase since 1980. The rate of incarceration in prison at yearend 2000 was 478 sentenced inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents -- up from 292 in 1990. About 1 in every 109 men and 1 in every 1,695 women were sentenced prisoners under the jurisdiction of State or Federal authorities. Overall, the United States incarcerated 2,071,686 persons at yearend 2000. This total represents persons held in -- -- Federal and State prisons (1,312,354, which excludes State and Federal prisoners in local jails) -- territorial prisons (16,130) -- local jails (621,149) -- facilities operated by or exclusively for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (8,894) -- military facilities (2,420) -- jails in Indian country (1,775) -- juvenile facilities (108,965 as of October 1999). More than 1.9 million in prisons and local jails On December 31, 2000, 1,312,354 inmates were in the custody of State and Federal prison authorities, and 621,149 were in the custody of local jail authorities. Since yearend 1999 the total incarcerated population has increased by 40,388. Including inmates in public and privately operated facilities, the number of inmates in State prisons increased 1.5% during 2000; the number in Federal prisons, 6.6%; and in local jails, 2.5%. During 2000 the total incarcerated population grew 2.1% -- less than half the annual average (5.3%) since 1990. The rate of incarceration in prison and jail was 699 inmates per 100,000 residents in 2000 up from 458 in 1990. At yearend 2000, 1 in every 143 U.S. residents were incarcerated in State or Federal prison or a local jail. U.S. prison population rose 1.3% during 2000 -- the smallest annual growth rate since 1972 The 2000 growth in the number of inmates under State or Federal jurisdiction (1.3%) was significantly lower than the percentage increase recorded during 1999 (3.4%) and the lowest annual rate recorded since 1972. The population under the jurisdiction of State and Federal authorities increased by 18,191 inmates during 2000, significantly lower than in 1999 (up 43,796). Since yearend 1990 the prison population has grown an average of 60,799 per year, for an increase of 607,987 in 10 years. Since 1995 the overall growth of the Nation's prison population has steadily slowed. Annual growth rates peaked in 1994 (at 8.7%) and then began to decrease. In absolute numbers, however, the annual growth in the population under State and Federal jurisdiction has exceeded 50,000 new inmates in every year during the 1990's except in 1999 and 2000. In the last 6 months of 2000, the State prison population declined about 6,200 inmates Between July 1, 2000, and December 31, 2000, the number of inmates under State jurisdiction dropped 0.5% (from 1,242,719 at midyear to 1,236,476 at yearend). This was the first measured decline in the State prison population since 1972. At the same time the Federal population continued to grow (up 2.0% from midyear 2000). In the last 6 months of 2000, the Federal population rose 2,886, compared to an increase of 7,284 inmates in the first 6 months. Prisoners under the jurisdiction of State or Federal correctional authorities, 1998-2000 Date State* Federal 12/31/98 1,177,532 123,041 06/30/99 1,224,404 130,378 12/31/99 1,228,455 135,246 06/30/00 1,242,719 142,530 12/31/00 1,236,476 145,416 *See Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2000 (NCJ 185989) for State counts for June 30, 1999 and 2000. Sentenced Federal inmate population rose 9.4% during the last 12 months Prisoners with sentences of more than 1 year ("sentenced prisoners") represented 97% of the total State prison population and 86% of the Federal prison population at yearend 2000. During the 12-month period, the sentenced prison population grew 1.3%. The remaining prisoners had sentences of a year or less or were currently unsentenced. While the 12-month growth of the State sentenced prison population was 0.5%, the sentenced Federal prison population grew 9.4%. The rate in 2000 was down only slightly from the 10.2% increase during 1999. During 2000, the Federal prison system added 10,769 sentenced prisoners -- the equivalent of more than 200 new inmates per week. ----------------------------------- Prison incarceration rates have risen sharply since 1990 On December 31, 2000, the number of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents was 478. Of the 13 States with rates greater than that for the Nation, 9 were in the South, 2 were in the West, and 2 were in the Midwest. Three States -- Minnesota (128), Maine (129), and North Dakota (158) -- had rates that were less than a third the national rate. The District of Columbia, a wholly urban jurisdiction, held 971 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 residents. The number of sentenced inmates in the District of Columbia dropped 26% during 2000, as a result of an ongoing transfer of responsibility for sentenced felons to the Federal system. Since 1990 the number of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 residents has risen from 292 to 478. During this period, incarceration rates rose most in the South (from 316 to 539) and West (from 277 to 423). The rate in the Midwest rose from 239 to 371, and the rate in the Northeast grew from 232 to 320. The number of sentenced Federal prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents increased from 20 to 45. Five States reported increases of at least 10% during 2000; 13 States reported decreases Between January 1 and December 31, Idaho and North Dakota experienced the largest increase (up 14.1%), followed by Mississippi (10.9%), Vermont (10.5%), and Iowa (10.0%). Thirteen States and the District of Columbia experienced a decline in prison populations. The District of Columbia had the largest decline (down 13.8%), followed by Massachusetts (down 5.6%), New Jersey (down 5.4%), New York (down 3.7%), and Texas (down 3.2%). In absolute numbers of inmates, only 2 jurisdictions grew by at least 2,000. The Federal system (up 10,170), experienced the largest growth, followed by Georgia (up 2,141). These two jurisdictions accounted for more than two-thirds of the total growth during 2000. Since 1990 the sentenced inmate population in State prisons has grown 72%. During this period 10 States more than doubled their sentenced inmate populations, led by Idaho (up 182%), Texas (up 164%), and West Virginia (up 142%). Between 1990 and 2000 the Federal system reported an increase of 148% -- 74,641 additional inmates with sentences of more than 1 year. ------------------------------------ Among States, Louisiana had the highest incarceration rate; Minnesota, the lowest At yearend 2000 the 10 jurisdictions with the largest prison populations had under their jurisdiction 827,842 inmates, or 60% of the Nation's total prison population. California (163,001), Texas (157,997), and the Federal system (145,416) accounted for a third of the population. The 10 States with the smallest prison populations each held fewer than 4,000 inmates. Collectively, these States held 1.8% of the Nation=s total prison population. Louisiana had the highest prison incarceration rate (801 sentenced inmates per 100,000 residents), followed by Texas (730), Mississippi (688), and Oklahoma (685). Five States had prison incarceration rates below 200, led by Minnesota (128), Maine (129), and North Dakota (158). Since 1990 two States had average annual prison population increases of at least 10%: Idaho (10.9%) and Texas (10.2%). Ten States had average annual growth rates of less than 4%, led by Maine (1.0%), Alaska (1.4%) and Massachusetts (1.8%). Female prisoner population more than doubled since 1990 During 2000 the number of women under the jurisdiction of State or Federal prison authorities increased 1.2%, slightly below the increase in the number of men (up 1.3%). At yearend 91,612 women and 1,290,280 men were in State or Federal prisons. Since 1990 the annual rate of growth of the female inmate population has averaged 7.6%, higher than the 5.9% average increase in the number of male inmates. While the total number of male prisoners has grown 77% since 1990, the number of female prisoners has increased 108%. By yearend 2000 women accounted for 6.6% of all prisoners nationwide, up from 5.7% in 1990. Relative to their number in the U.S. resident population, men were about 15 times more likely than women to be incarcerated in a State or Federal prison. At yearend 2000 there were 59 sentenced female inmates per 100,000 women in the United States, compared to 915 sentenced male inmates per 100,000 men. ----------------------------------------- Over a third of all female prisoners were held in the 3 largest jurisdictions: Texas (12,245), California (11,161), and the Federal system (10,245). Oklahoma (with 138 sentenced female inmates per 100,000 female State residents), Mississippi (105), and Texas and Lousiana (both with 100) had the highest female incarceration rates. Massachusetts (with 7 sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female residents), Maine (10), and Rhode Island (12) had the lowest incarceration rates. Since 1990 the female prisoner population has grown at an annual average rate of at least 10% in 17 States. Texas reported the highest average annual increase in female prisoners (18.7%), followed by Idaho (15.2%), Montana (14.9%) and West Virginia (14.8%). The District of Columbia, which is transferring responsibility for its sentenced felons to the Federal system, was the only jurisdiction to report fewer female prisoners since 1990. However, in 2000 the District of Columbia recorded a 29% increase in the number of female inmates, primarily unsentenced or with sentences of 1 year or less. Privately operated prisons held over 87,000 State and Federal inmates in 2000 At yearend 2000, 31 States, the District of Columbia, and the Federal system reported a total of 87,369 prisoners held in privately operated facilities. These private facilities held 5.8% of all State prisoners and 10.7% of Federal prisoners. Among States, Texas (with 13,985 State inmates housed in private facilities) and Oklahoma (with 6,931) reported the largest number in 2000. Five States New Mexico (40%), Alaska (33%), Montana (32%), Oklahoma (30%), Hawaii (24%), and Wisconsin (21%) -- had at least 20% of their prison population housed in private facilities. Except for Wisconsin (with 21% of its State inmates in private facilities), North Dakota (with 9%), and New Jersey (with 8%), the use of private facilities was concentrated among Southern and Western States. Overall, 8.3% of State inmates in the South and 5.9% in the West were in privately operated facilities at the end of 2000. ------------------------------------------ Local jails held more than 63,000 State prisoners At the end of 2000, 34 States, the District of Columbia, and the Federal system reported a total of 63,140 State and Federal prisoners held in local jails or other facilities operated by county or local authorities. These inmates held in local jails represented 4.6% of all prisoners in 2000. Approximately 10% of inmates in local jails were being held for State or Federal prison authorities. Louisiana had the largest percentage of its State inmate population housed in local jails, 44%. Three other States -- Kentucky (26%), Tennessee (24%), and West Virginia (21%) -- had at least 20% of their population housed in local jail facilities. In addition to housing inmates in privately operated facilities and local jails (within their own State and elsewhere), 35 States and the District of Columbia reported placing inmates in Federal facilities and in other State-operated facilities. On December 31, 2000, 7,243 prisoners nationwide were held under such arrangements -- representing less than 1% of all State prisoners. California placed the most inmates (624), followed by Connecticut (470) and Wisconsin (426). Vermont (23%) and the District of Columbia (17%) had more than 10% of their prison population housed in facilities of other States or the Federal system. Prison capacity measures vary Prison capacity and the extent of crowding are difficult to determine because of the absence of uniform measures for defining capacity. Jurisdictions apply a variety of capacity measures to reflect both the available space to house inmates and the ability to staff and operate an institution. To estimate the capacity of their prisons, jurisdictions were asked to supply three measures for yearend 2000: rated, operational, and design capacities. These measures were defined as follows: Rated capacity is the number of beds or inmates assigned by a rating official to institutions within the jurisdiction. Operational capacity is the number of inmates that can be accommodated, based on a facility's staff, existing programs, and services. Design capacity is the number of inmates that planners or architects intended for the facility. Of the 51 reporting jurisdictions, 29 supplied a rated capacity; 43, an operational capacity; and 33, a design capacity. Twenty-two jurisdictions provided only 1 measure or the same figure for each measure they reported. For the 29 jurisdictions with more than 1 reported type of capacity, estimates of population as a percent of capacity are based on the highest and lowest figures provided. -------------------------------------- Twenty-two States and Federal system operating at or above capacity Prisons generally require reserve capacity to operate efficiently. Dormitories and cells need to be maintained and repaired periodically, special housing is needed for protective custody and disciplinary cases, and space may be needed to cope with emergencies. At yearend 2000, 27 States and the District of Columbia reported that they were operating at or below 99% of their highest capacity. Twenty-one States and the Federal prison system reported operating at 100% or more of their highest capacity. Florida, which was operating at 81% of its highest capacity, reported the lowest percent of capacity occupied. California, operating at 94% over its lowest reported capacity, had the highest percent of capacity occupied. By yearend 2000 the Federal prison system was operating at 31% over capacity, decreasing since yearend 1999 (32%). Overall, State prisons in 2000 were operating at their highest capacity and 15% above their lowest capacity. States added 351 adult correctional facilities and more than 528,000 prison beds during the decade On June 30, 2000, based on the Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities, there were 1,558 public and private adult correctional facilities housing State prisoners. In addition, there were 84 Federal facilities and 26 private facilities that housed primarily inmates for Federal authorities. Since the 1990 census, the number of State correctional facilities increased by 351, up from 1,207 in 1990. (See Methodology for census definitions and coverage.) Through new construction of public and private facilities and expansion of existing facilities, States added 528,274 beds. Overall, based on the number of beds assigned by rating officials to each facility, the rated capacity of State public and private prisons rose 81% during the decade. Prison construction was the greatest in Texas (with the addition of 109,975 beds) and California (with 73,005 more beds), Florida (28,550) and Georgia (25,812). Together, these four States accounted for nearly 45% of the added capacity of State prisons nationwide. Two States, Colorado and Texas, more than tripled their rated capacities. Colorado, with the addition of 33 public and private facilities, and Texas, with construction of the State jail system and 84 new facilities, led the Nation in the expansion of capacity. Thirteen other States experienced at least a doubling of their public and private prison capacities. Two States -- Maine (up 18%) and New York (up 22%) -- had increases in rated capacity of less than 25%. ----------------------------------------- At yearend 2000 U.S. military authorities held 2,420 prisoners in 62 facilities About 79% of prisoners held by the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps were convicted inmates; 21% were unconvicted persons whose cases had not been tried. Fifty-six percent of the prisoners (1,346) had sentences of 1 year or more. At yearend 2000 the Army's Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and five other local or regional Army facilities held the largest share (41%) of all inmates under military jurisdiction. The 11 Navy facilities held nearly 32% of all inmates; the 6 Marine Corps facilities held 23% of all inmates; and the 39 Air Force facilities held 4% of all inmates. The operational capacity of the 62 military confinement facilities totaled 4,488. At yearend 2000 these facilities were operating at 54% of their operational capacity. U.S. Territories held 16,130 inmates in 2000 The U.S. Territories and Commonwealths -- American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands -- reported 16,130 inmates under the jurisdiction of their prison systems at yearend 2000 -- a decrease of 12.3% since 1999. Prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year totaled 11,916 (or nearly three- quarters of the total territorial prison population). Since 1995, the number of sentenced prisoners held in U.S. Territories has grown 27%, compared to the 19% increase in the number of sentenced State prisoners. Relative to the resident populations in the Territories, the rate of incarceration was 275 prisoners per 100,000 residents -- nearly two-thirds of the combined rate of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Of the 5 Territories, the Northern Mariana Islands had the lowest prison incarceration rate (71 inmates per 100,000 residents), while the U.S. Virgin Islands (with 292) had the highest rate. Puerto Rico, the largest of the Territories, had the most sentenced prisoners (11,075 at yearend 2000), down from 11,933 in 1999. In 2000, 22 States and the District of Columbia had fewer sentenced inmates than Puerto Rico; 13 States had equal or lower incarceration rates. More black males than white males among State and Federal inmates at yearend 2000 Percent of prisoners under State or Federal jurisdiction* 1990 2000 Total 100.0% 100.0% White 35.6 35.7 Black 44.5 46.2 Hispanic 17.4 16.4 Other 2.5 1.7 *Based on inmates with sentences of more than 1 year. Yearend 2000 counts were based on custody counts from NPS-1A and updated from sentenced jurisdiction counts by gender. At yearend 2000 black inmates represented an estimated 46% of all in- mates with sentences of more than 1 year, while white inmates accounted for 36% and Hispanic inmates, 16%. Although the total number of sentenced inmates rose sharply (up 77% between 1990 and 2000), there were only small changes in the racial and Hispanic composition of the inmate population. At yearend 2000, black males (572,900) outnumbered white males (436,500) and Hispanic males (206,900) among inmates with sentences of more than 1 year. More than 46% of all sentenced inmates were black males. Nearly 10% of black males, age 25-29, in prison in 2000 When incarceration rates are estimated separately by age group, black males in their twenties and thirties are found to have high rates relative to other groups. Expressed in terms of percentages, 9.7% of black non-Hispanic males age 25 to 29 were in prison in 2000, compared to 2.9% of Hispanic males and about 1.1% of white males in the same age group. Although incarceration rates drop with age, the percentage of black males age 45 to 54 in prison in 2000 was still nearly 2.7% -- only slightly lower than the highest rate (2.9%) among Hispanic males (age 25 to 29) and more than twice the highest rate (1.2%) among white males (age 30 to 34). Female incarceration rates, though substantially lower than male incarceration rates at every age, reveal similar racial and ethnic disparities. Black non-Hispanic females (with an incarceration rate of 205 per 100,000) were more than 3 times as likely as Hispanic females (60 per 100,000) and 6 times more likely than white non- Hispanic females (34 per 100,000) to be in prison in 2000. These differences among white, black, and Hispanic females were consistent across all age groups. Growth linked to increasing number of inmates in State prison for violent and drug offenses Between 1990 and 1999 the distribution of the four major offense categories -- violent, property, drug, and public-order offenses -- changed slightly among State prisoners. The percent held for property and drug offenses dropped while the percent held for public-order offenses rose. Percent of sentenced State inmates 1990 1999 Total 100% 100% Violent 46 48 Property 25 21 Drug 22 21 Public-order 7 10 In absolute numbers, an estimated 570,000 inmates in State prison at yearend 1999 were held for violent offenses, 161,800 for robbery, 141,500 for murder, 115,100 for assault, and 109,000 for rape and other sexual assaults. In addition, 245,000 inmates were held for property offenses, 251,200 for drug offenses, and 120,600 for public-order offenses. Overall, the largest growth in State inmates between 1990 and 1999 was among violent offenders. During the 9-year period, the number of violent offenders grew 254,100, while the number of drug offenders grew 101,500. As a percentage of the total growth, violent offenders accounted for 51% of the growth; drug offenders 20%; property offenders 14%; and public-order offenders 15%. Sources of growth differ among men and women and among white, black, and Hispanic inmates The increasing number of violent offenders accounted for the 53% of the total growth among male inmates and 28% among female inmates. Drug offenders accounted for the largest source of the total growth among female inmates (35%), compared to 19% among male inmates. The increasing number of property offenses accounted for a slightly higher percent of the growth among female inmates (21%) than male inmates (13%). Although the number of public-order offenders rose sharply, they accounted for only 15% of the total growth among male inmates and 16% of the growth among female inmates. The sources of population growth also differed among white, black, and Hispanic prisoners. Overall, the increasing number of drug offenses accounted for 27% of the total growth among black inmates, 15% of the total growth among Hispanic inmates, and 14% of the growth among white inmates. Violent offenders accounted for the largest source of growth for all groups -- among white State inmates (47%), black inmates (50%), and Hispanic inmates (58%). Changing Federal prison population related to drugs, weapons, and immigration violations Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses constitute the largest group of Federal inmates (61%) in 1999, up from 53% in 1990. On September 30, 1999, the date of the latest available data in the Federal Justice Statistics Program, Federal prisons held 68,360 sentenced drug offenders, compared to 30,470 at yearend 1990. Between 1990 and 1999, the number of Federal inmates held for immigration offenses increased 488%, and the number held for weapons offenses increased 209%. The number of immigration offenders rose from 1,728 in 1990 to 10,156 in 1999; weapons offenders rose from 3,073 to 9,494. By September 30, 1999, weapons offenders represented 10.3% of Federal inmates and immigration violators 13.6%. Although the number of robbers showed an increase of 81% between 1990 and 1999, the increase was offset by a decline of 21% among other violent offenders (such as inmates held for assault and sex offenses). Overall, the percentage of violent Federal inmates declined from 17% to 11%. While the number of offenders in each major offense category increased, the number incarcerated for a drug offense accounted for the largest percentage of the total growth (61%). Public-order offenders accounted for 29% of the increase; violent offenders, 6%, and property offenders, 1%. Methodology National Prisoner Statistics The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), with the U.S. Census Bureau as its collection agent, obtains yearend and midyear counts of prisoners from departments of correction in each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In an effort to collect comparable data from all jurisdictions, National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) distinguishes prisoners in custody from those under jurisdiction. To have custody of a prisoner, a State must hold that person in one of its facilities. To have jurisdiction means that a State has legal authority over the prisoner. Prisoners under a State=s jurisdiction may be in the custody of a local jail, another State's prison, or other correctional facility. Some States are unable to provide both custody and jurisdiction counts. (See NPS jurisdiction notes.) Excluded from NPS counts are persons confined in locally administered confinement facilities who are under the jurisdiction of local authorities. NPS counts include all inmates in State-operated facilities in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont, which have combined jail-prison systems. 2000 Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities The 2000 census was the sixth enumeration of State institutions and the second of Federal institutions conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Earlier censuses were completed in 1974, 1979, 1984, 1990 and 1995. Facilities were included in the census if they had separate staffs; housed primarily State or Federal prisoners; were physically, functionally, and administratively separate; and operational on June 30, 2000. Data were collected from all facilities, resulting in a final response rate of 100%. The census included the following types of adult correctional facilities: prisons and penitentiaries; boot camps; prison farms; reception, diagnostic, and classification centers; road camps, forestry and conservation camps; youthful offender facilities (except in California; vocational training facilities; prison hospital; drug and alcohol treatment facilities; and State-operated local detention facilities (in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont). Facilities were classified as community based if 50% or more of their inmates are regularly permitted to leave unaccompanied or if their primary function was community corrections. Such facilities included halfway houses and restitution, prerelease, work release, and study release centers. Correctional facilities were classified as confinement facilities if fewer than 50% of the inmates are regularly permitted to leave unaccompanied. Military Corrections Statistics BJS obtains yearend counts of prisoners in the custody of U.S. military authorities from the Department of Defense Corrections Council. In 1994 the council, comprised of representatives from each branch of military service, adopted a standardized report (DD Form 2720) with a common set of items and definitions. This report provides information on persons held in U.S. military confinement facilities inside and outside the continental United States, by branch of service, sex, race, Hispanic origin, conviction status, sentence length, and offense. It also includes data on the number of facilities, and their design and rated capacities. Estimating age-specific incarceration rates The number of sentenced prisoners within each age group was estimated for men, women, whites, blacks, and Hispanics. Estimates for 1999 were produced by combining data from NPS and from the 1997 Surveys of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. The following procedures were used: 1. To obtain estimates of the number of sentenced State and Federal inmates by sex, race, and Hispanic origin in each year, NPS midyear 2000 custody counts for men and women were used. These counts of State and Federal inmates were multiplied by the proportion white, black, Hispanic, or other race as estimated from the State and Federal inmate surveys in 1997. The estimates were then adjusted to equal the number of sentenced inmates by sex in State and Federal prisons as reported in NPS for yearend 2000. 2. To obtain estimates by age in each year, age distributions for each demographic group were drawn from the State and Federal prison inmate surveys. These percentages were then multiplied by the number of sentenced inmates for each group defined by sex, race, and Hispanic origin. 3. Estimates of the U.S. resident population for July 1, 2000, were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau. (See U.S. Population Estimates, by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1990 to 1995, PPL-41, and updates for 2000.) These data were then adjusted for the 1990 decennial census, using the 1990 Post Enumeration Survey. 4. Age-specific rates of incarceration for each demographic group were calculated by dividing the estimated number of sentenced prisoners in each age group by the number of U.S. residents in each age group and then multiplying by 100,000. NPS jurisdiction notes Alabama -- Population counts are for September 30, 1999, and December 31, 2000. Capacity figures exclude community programs. Alaska -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Arizona -- Population counts are based on custody data. Counts exclude 219 sentenced males and 18 sentenced females housed in local jails who were awaiting transfer to the DOC. Operational capacity excludes temporary beds and double bunks used in situations of crowding. Arkansas -- Only one type of capacity, set by the Board of Corrections and Community Punishment, is reported. California -- Population counts include felons and civil addicts who are temporarily absent, such as in court, jail or hospital. Colorado -- Population counts include 2,099 male inmates in Colorado private contract facilities. Capacity figures exclude Bent County Correctional Center, Huerfano Correctional Center, Crowley County Correctional Center, and Kit Carson Correctional Center. Connecticut -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Legislation in 1995 abolished the capacity law so that prisons no longer have a rated or operational capacity. Design capacity is recorded separately in each facility. Delaware -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Capacity counts include Department of Correction halfway houses. District of Columbia -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Design capacity is no longer meaningful because of the prison closure program. Federal -- Custody counts exclude offenders housed in community corrections centers (6,143 on December 14, 2000) and offenders under home confinement (1,591). Rated capacity excludes contract beds. Florida -- Population counts are based on custody data. Rated capacity is the maximum safe capacity. Georgia -- Population counts are based on custody data. Facilities in Georgia are not given rated or design capacities. Hawaii -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Idaho -- Rated capacity is defined as 100% of the maximum capacity; operational capacity as 95% of the maximum (except in one facility which is 100%). Capacity excludes 235 "non-bed" offenders awaiting a parole hearing on December 31, 2000, and 246 "non-bed" offenders on December 31, 1999. Illinois -- Population counts are based on custody data. Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year. Capacity figures include 822 inmates on electronic detention. Iowa -- Population counts are based on custody data. Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year or less. Kansas -- Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year or less. Louisiana -- Operational capacity is based on day-to-day operations. Rated and operational capacities include contractual work release facilities. Population counts include 14,347 males and 1,252 females housed in local jails as a results of a partnership with the Louisiana Sheriff's Association and local authorities. Maryland -- Design capacity is no longer reported because of renovations and other changes. Operational capacity was estimated by applying a percentage to the population count on December 31, 2000. Massachusetts -- By law, offenders may be sentenced to terms of up to 2 1/2 years in locally operated jails. Such offenders are included in counts and rates for local jails. About 6,200 inmates with sentences of more than 1 year were held in local jails in 2000. Michigan -- Population counts are based on jurisdiction data, excluding 286 inmates held in local jails. Operational capacity includes institution and camp net capacities and populations in community programs. Mississippi -- Operation and design capacities include private prison capacities. Missouri -- Design capacities are not available for older prisons. Operational capacity is defined as the number of available beds including those temporarily off-line. Nebraska -- Operational capacity is defined as stress capacity (or 125% of design capacity), which is ordered by the governor and set by the Department of Corrections. Nevada -- Population counts are for January 9, 2001. Rated capacity is defined as emergency capacity. Design capacity is defined as one bed per cell. Capacity figures include 500 beds in a private facility. New Jersey -- Rated and operational capacity figures are not maintained. Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year. New Mexico -- Capacity figures include the maximum number of contracted beds in private facilities. North Carolina -- Operational capacity has been eliminated due to a legislative cap. North Dakota -- Capacity figures include a new facility opened in 1998 and double bunking in the State Penitentiary. Ohio -- Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year or less. Oklahoma -- Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year or less. Capacity figures include private prisons and contract jails. Oregon -- Under a new law, inmates with under a 1 year maximum sentence remain under the control of local counties. Rated and design capacities are not recognized. Pennsylvania -- Reported capacities are single-cell capacities. Operational capacity is based on multiple occupancy. Rhode Island -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. South Carolina -- Population counts include unsentenced inmates on Youthful Offender Act observation status, of which there were none on December 31, 2000. South Dakota -- Operational capacity is planned capacity. Rated and design capacities are not recognized. Tennessee -- Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year. Texas -- Population counts of inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number with a sentence of 1 year or less. Capacity figures include public, privately operated and county contracted facilities that are state funded. Vermont -- Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Population counts are jurisdiction counts that include inmates housed in other States but exclude inmates on furlough or intermediate sanctions. Virginia -- Rated, operational, and design capacity are calculated using an operational capacity method in which all inmates housed in a cell are counted. Washington -- A recently revised law allows increasing numbers of inmates with sentences of less than 1 year to be housed in prison. Wisconsin -- Counts exclude temporary probation or parole placements and persons on escape status. Counts include Alternatives to Revocation (ATRs), adult inmates held in contract juvenile facilities, and inmates held in local jails or in out-of-State, private, and Federal prisons due to crowding. Operational capacity excludes contracted local jails, Federal, other State, and private facilities. -------------------------------------------- The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Lawrence A. Greenfeld is the acting director. BJS Bulletins present the first release of findings from permanent data collection programs such as the National Prisoner Statistics. Allen J. Beck and Paige M. Harrison wrote this report. Erika Westry provided statistical assistance and verification. Tom Hester produced and edited the report. Jayne Robinson administered final production. Data collection and processing for the NPS program were carried out by Nicole D. Simpson under the supervision of Gertrude B. Odom and Marilyn M. Monahan, Demographic Surveys Division, U.S. Census Bureau. Christopher J. Mumola collected and processed data on prisoners in the U.S. Territories, in U.S. military facilities, and in facilities operated by or for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. August 2001, NCJ 188207 ---------------------------------------- End of file ih 09/07/01