NCJ Number
153849
Date Published
1995
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The correctional population in the United States increased substantially from 1980 through 1993; a total of 4.9 million adults or approximately 2.6 percent of the population were on parole, on probation, or in jails or prisons in 1993, an increase of 3 million people since 1980.
Abstract
In 1993 more than 909,000 men and women were in the custody of State and Federal prisons, 455,500 were in local jails, 671,000 were on parole, and 2.8 million were on probation. During the 1980-92 period, the percentage of black State and Federal prisoners increased from 46.5 percent to 50 percent at a time when the percentage of black persons in the general population increased from 11.8 percent to 12.4 percent. The Hispanic inmate population doubled from 7.7 percent to 14.1 percent, while Hispanics in the general population increased from 6.5 percent to 9.5 percent. The number of convicted drug offenders increased from 19,000 to 172,300 from 1980 through 1992. Violent offenders were more likely to be sent to prison in 1992 than they were in 1980. The rate of incarceration increased from 139 sentenced inmates per 100,000 United States residents to 332 per 100,000 in 1992. Figures and table