Correctional Populations in the United States, 2016

• NCJ Number: 251211
• Author(s): Danielle Kaeble, BJS Statistician; Mary P. Cowhig, former BJS Statistician
• Date Published: April 2018
• Publication Series: Correctional Populations in the United States
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

Presents statistics on persons supervised by U.S. adult correctional systems at year-end 2016, including persons supervised in the community on probation or parole and those incarcerated in state or federal prison or local jail.

Abstract

Presents statistics on persons supervised by U.S. adult correctional systems at year-end 2016, including persons supervised in the community on probation or parole and those incarcerated in state or federal prison or local jail. The report describes the size and change in the total correctional population during 2016. Appendix tables provide statistics on other correctional populations and jurisdiction-level estimates of the total correctional population by correctional status for selected years.

Highlights

• In 2016, the number of persons supervised by U.S. adult correctional systems dropped for the ninth consecutive year. 
• From 2007 to 2016, the portion of the adult population under supervision of U.S. correctional systems decreased by 18%, from 3,210 to 2,640 per 100,000 adult residents. 
• The percentage of adults supervised by the U.S. correctional system was lower in 2016 than at any time since 1993. 
• The incarceration rate has declined since 2009 and is currently at its lowest rate since 1996. 
• On December 31, 2016, an estimated 6,613,500 persons were supervised by U.S. adult correctional systems, about 62,700 fewer persons than on January 1, 2016.