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Correctional populations and facilities

Correctional populations | Correctional facilities

Correctional populations

• Probationers
• Jail inmates
• State prison inmates
• Federal prisoners
• Juveniles

Probationers

Probationers are criminal offenders who have been sentenced to a period of correctional supervision in the community in lieu of incarceration. On December 31, 2006, a total of 4,237,023 adult men and women were serving a probation sentence in the United States. During 2006, the adult probation population grew 1.7%, which represented an increase of 70,266 probationers. Forty-nine percent of all probationers had been convicted of a felony, 49% of a misdemeanor, and 2% of other infractions. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of probationers under supervision on December 31, 2006 were supervised for a non-violent offense, including more than a quarter (27%) for a drug law violation and a sixth (16%) for driving while intoxicated.

Source: BJS, Probation and Parole in the United States, 2006, NCJ 220218, December 2007.

An estimated 16% of mentally ill probationers and 21% of other probationers reported their current offense was a drug offense.

Source: BJS, Mental Health and Treatment of Inmates and Probationers, NCJ 174463, July 1999.

Jail inmates

In 2002 an estimated 155,900 jail inmates were held for a drug offense, an increase from 114,100 in 1996.

The percentage of jail inmates held for drug offenses rose slightly to 25% in 2002 from 22% in 1996. Drug trafficking accounted for most of the increase.

Among jail inmates who said they had been tested for HIV/AIDS and reported a result, those held for property offenses were the most likely to be HIV positive (1.8%). Drug offenders reported a slightly lower rate (1.6%). The percentage of jail inmates reporting that they were HIV positive varied by level of prior drug use.

Source: BJS, HIV in Prisons and Jails, 2002, NCJ 205333, December 2004.

State prison inmates

From 1995 to 2001 the number of drug offenders in state prison increased by 30,600 inmates (15%).

Click on the chart to view the data.
Source: BJS, Correctional Populations in the United States, annually and Prisoners in 2006

An estimated 1,274,600 sentenced prisoners were under state jurisdiction at yearend 2004. About 52% (663,700) were held for violent offenses, 20% (249,400) for drug offenses, and 21% (265,600) for property offenses.

Source: BJS, Prisoners in 2006, NCJ 219416, December 2007.

About 13% of mentally ill inmates and 22% of other inmates in state prison were incarcerated for a drug offense.

Source: BJS, Mental Health and Treatment of Inmates and Probationers, NCJ 174463, July 1999.

In 1997 parents in state prison were more likely to be serving a sentence for drug offenses (24%) than nonparents (17%). Mothers were more likely than fathers to be sentenced for drug offenses (35% compared to 23% of fathers).

In federal prison, drug offenses (67%) were the most common type of crime for which parents were serving time in 1997.

Source: BJS, Incarcerated Parents and Their Children, NCJ 182335, August 2000. 

Those inmates being held on a drug offense in state prisons reported the highest HIV positive rate (2.9%).

An estimated 32% of state inmates who reported ever using a needle to inject drugs said they had a medical problem (excluding injury) since admission to prison, compared to 25% of those who did not use a needle.

Inmates who reported ever using a needle to inject drugs reported a higher prevalence of physical impairments or mental conditions. Among state prisoners, about 36% of those who used a needle and 30% of those who did not use a needle to inject drugs reported having some physical impairments or mental condition.

Source: BJS, Medical Problems of Inmates, 1997, NCJ 181644, January 2001.

Population by gender

Violent offenders accounted for the largest proportion of both male (53%) and female (34%) state inmates at yearend 2004.

Population by race

Approximately half of white, black, and Hispanic inmates under state jurisdiction were violent offenders in 2004.

Federal prisoners

There were 176,268 sentenced inmates under federal jurisdiction at yearend 2006. About (53%) (93,751) of federal inmates were drug offenders. An additional 27% (54,336) inmates were public-order offenders, held for offenses such as immigration and weapon violations. Between 2000 and 2006, drug offenders represented 26% of the growth in the federal inmate population; public-order offenders, 68%.

Source: BJS, Prisoners in 2006, NCJ 219416, December 2007.

In 1997, 16% of incarcerated federal drug offenders reported being an importer, grower, or manufacturer of illicit drugs; 25% reported that they distributed drugs to street-level dealers.

Source: BJS, Federal Drug Offenders, 1999 with Trends 1984-99, NCJ 187285, August 2001.

In federal prison, where the majority of inmates are incarcerated for a drug offense, 40% of those identified as mentally ill and 64% of other federal inmates were in prison for a drug-related crime.

Source: BJS, Mental Health and Treatment of Inmates and Probationers, NCJ 174463, July 1999.

Correctional facilities

Juveniles

In 2001, the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement, a data collection conducted by the Office of Juveniles Justice and Delinquency (OJJDP), reported that a total of 9,086 juveniles were confined in a facility had committed a drug offense. Of this number, 5,685 juveniles were confined in a public facility and 3,390 in a private facility. The number decreased from 9,882 in 1999.

Source: OJJDP, Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement Databook, FS 200008, 2001.

As of September 30, 1994, 124 juvenile delinquents were confined in a state juvenile correctional facility under contract to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. (The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not have its own facilities for juveniles.) Most (64%) were adjudicated delinquent of a violent offense, and 14% were delinquent of a drug offense.

• 14 months for all those released
• 21 months for drug offenders
• 17 months for violent offenders.
  
  Source: BJS, Juvenile Delinquents in the Federal Criminal Justice System, NCJ 163066, January 1997.

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Page last revised on August 14, 2008