U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Report: Time Served in State Prison, 2016

 

Median time served in state prison before initial release, by most serious offense, 2016
  • The average time served by state prisoners released in 2016, from initial admission to initial release, was 2.6 years, and the median time served was 1.3 years.
  • Most violent offenders (57%) released from state prison in 2016 served less than 3 years.
  • 96% of violent offenders released in 2016, including 70% of those sentenced for murder or non-negligent manslaughter, served less than 20 years before initial release from state prison.
  • Roughly 1 in 5 state prisoners released in 2016 after being sentenced for rape or sexual assault served 10 or more years before initial release.

View archived featured content

Date Published: November 29, 2018