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ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT |
BJS |
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2002 |
202/307-0784 |
FEDERAL PRISON POPULATION INCREASES A RECORD AMOUNT STATE AND LOCAL INMATE GROWTH MODERATES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the first six months of 2001 the federal prison
system added 7,372 inmates, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS) announced today. It was the largest ever six-month growth in
the federal system. At the same time, the number of state prison inmates
increased by a relatively modest 7,048.
Between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2001, the federal prison population rose
7.2 percent, the state prison population rose 0.4 percent and local jail
populations rose 1.6 percent. During the period state prison populations grew at
their slowest rate in 28 years, while local jails rose at their slowest rate
since 1982, when BJS started collecting such data.
On June 30, 2001, about 1,965,495 men and women were in prison or in a local
jail–the equivalent of 1 in every 145 U.S. residents. Local jails held 631,240
inmates, up 10,091 from midyear 2000. State prisons held 1,252,743 people under
their jurisdiction and the federal corrections system had 152,788.
For the 12 months ending at midyear 2001, federal, state and local
governments had to find room for 30,505 more inmates, the equivalent of 587 more
inmates each week.
At midyear 2001, jails were operating at 90 percent of capacity, down from
104 percent of capacity in 1990. At year-end 2000, according to the latest
available data, state prisons were operating at between 100 percent and 115
percent of capacity, while Federal prisons were at 31 percent above
capacity.
Privately operated prison facilities held 94,948 inmates on June 30, 2001, up
4.9 percent from six months earlier. Four states had at least 30 percent of
their inmates in privately operated facilities, led by New Mexico (45 percent),
Alaska (34 percent), Montana (30 percent) and Oklahoma (30 percent). The federal
system (with 18,185 inmates in private facilities) and Texas (with 17,746)
reported the largest number at midyear 2001.
During the 12 months ending June 30, 2001, the largest state prison systems
lost 6,739 inmates: Texas was down 3,661, New York 2,553 and California 525.
Florida added 774 inmates, making it the third largest state prison system at
midyear 2001. However, some smaller states had significant percentage increases
during the period: Mississippi increased by 12.5 percent, West Virginia by 8.7
percent and Vermont and Nebraska both by 7.7 percent. Eleven states had
increases of at least 5 percent. Twelve states had decreases, including New
Jersey (down 9.6 percent), Massachusetts (down 3.7 percent) and New York down
3.5 percent.
On June 30, 2001, there were 3,147 state inmates under 18 years old, down
from the peak of 5,309 in 1995. Local jails held 7,613 at midyear, down from
9,458 in 1999.
Among young adult U.S. residents in their 20s and early 30s, 12 percent of
black males, 4 percent of Hispanic males and 1.8 percent of white males were
behind bars.
As of June 30, 2001, approximately 161,200 women were in prisons or jails,
compared to 1.8 million men. Relative to their number in the population, men
were incarcerated at a rate 11½ times that of women. At midyear 2001 there were
1,318 males incarcerated per 100,000 male residents and 113 incarcerated females
per 100,000 female residents.
The BJS bulletin, "Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2001" (NCJ-191702) was
written by BJS statisticians Allen J. Beck, Jennifer C. Karberg and Paige M.
Harrison. Single copies may be obtained by calling the BJS Clearinghouse at
1-800/732-3277. After the release date it will also be available at:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/pjim01.htm
The BJS Internet site is:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
Additional criminal justice materials
can be obtained from the Office of Justice Programs homepage at:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov
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BJS02072
E-mail: stu@ojp.usdoj.gov
After hours contact: Stu Smith at 301/983-9354
E-mail: stu219@hotmail.com
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