The report examines changes in the geographical distribution of prisoners and the composition of inmate populations by race, sex, and Hispanic origins. It discusses rates of various types of admissions and releases and provides information on prison capacity, facility construction, and early releases. In summary, the Nation's prison population by yearend 1984 increased 5.9 percent over 1983. Since 1980, prison populations have grown 40.2 percent, with the largest increases occurring in the West and the Northeast. The growth rate of the Federal prison population (7.3 percent) outpaced that of the States and the District of Columbia (5.7 percent). While female inmates increased, they still accounted for less than 5 percent of the prison population inmates. Prisons were operating at an estimated 110-percent capacity by yearend 1984. Between 1980 and 1984, the number of prison admissions from courts rose from 2.6 per 100 serious crimes reported to the police to 3.9. Tables provide data on each State. The data collection questionnaire and methodology are appended. (Author summary modified)
Prisoners in State and Federal Institutions on December 31, 1984
NCJ Number
103768
Editor(s)
L A Greenfeld
Date Published
1987
Length
50 pages
Annotation
This report presents data for 1984 on the number and movement of prisoners in all State and Federal correctional institutions, addressing the sharp growth in prison populations and overcrowding.
Abstract