NCJ Number
58324
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS ON U.S. PRISON POPULATIONS IN STATE AND FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS ON DECEMBER 31, 1978 ARE PRESENTED BY LEAA AND THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION AND STATISTICS SERVICE
Abstract
THE REPORT, CONTAINING NARRATIVE AND STATISTICAL TABLES, REVEALS THAT A RECORD 307,384 PERSONS WERE HELD UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE CORRECTIONAL AUTHORITIES IN 1978, A YEAREND COUNT THAT SHOWS A 3 PERCENT INCREASE IN PRISONERS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE INCREASE WAS LITTLE MORE THAN HALF THAT OF 1977 AND MARKEDLY LOWER THAN THE 10 PERCENT RISE IN 1975 AND 1976. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PRISONERS HELD AT THE END OF 1978 WERE SERVING SHORTER SENTENCES THAN THOSE IN EARLIER SURVEYS OR WERE BEING HELD IN DETENTION PENDING SENTENCING. THE NUMBER OF FEDERAL INMATES (29,803) WAS DOWN BY 7 PERCENT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT THE NUMBER OF STATE INMATES (277,581) WAS UP 4 PERCENT. FIVE STATES ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THIS INCREASE: TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, MICHIGAN, AND NEW YORK. NORTH CAROLINA, ON THE OTHER HAND, SHOWED THE LARGEST DECLINE OF PRISONERS, PRINCIPALLY AMONG INMATES WITH A SENTENCE OF A YEAR OR LESS. THERE WERE 12,736 FEMALE PRISONERS IN STATE AND FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS, REPRESENTING 4 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL AND CONSISTENT WITH THE PATTERN OF RISING FEMALE CRIME. TABLED STATISTICS ARE BROKEN DOWN BY PRISONER SEX, BY FEDERAL AND STATE INSTITUTIONS, AND BY STATE AND REGIONS. THEY PERTAIN TO TOTAL PRISON POPULATION NUMBERS, PERCENT CHANGES, AND MAXIMUM LENGTH OF SENTENCES. (DAG)