U.S. flag

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

Inmates

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 1998

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 1998

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EST            BJS
SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 1999                 202/307-0784   

INCARCERATION RATE MORE THAN DOUBLES IN DOZEN YEARS

     WASHINGTON, D.C.--At midyear 1998, one in
every 150 U.S. residents was incarcerated, with an
estimated 1,802,496 men and women held in the
country's prisons and jails, the Justice
Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics...

Prisoners in 1998

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT           BJS
SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 1999               202/307-0784 


THE NATION'S PRISON POPULATION GREW BY 60,000
INMATES LAST YEAR THE LARGEST INCREASE SINCE 1995  

     WASHINGTON, D.C.   The nation's state and
federal prison population grew by almost 60,000
inmates during 1998 the states and the District of
Columbia added 49,798 prisoners and the federal
system added 10,068, the Justice Department's
Bureau of...

HIV in Prisons 1997

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EST                       BJS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1999                      202/307-0784 
revised 11/19/99
                
RATES OF HIV INFECTION AND AIDS-RELATED
DEATHS DROP AMONG THE NATION'S PRISONERS

     WASHINGTON, D.C.   The rate of human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among state and federal
prisoners dropped from 2.2 percent in 1996 to 2.1 percent in 1997,
according to a new bulletin released today by the Justice
Department's Bureau...

Drug Use, Testing, and Treatment in Jails

                                   
ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT                     BJS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2000                         202/307-0784 
                
         

MOST JAILS THAT TEST FOR DRUGS FIND AT LEAST ONE INMATE WHO TESTS POSITIVE


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An estimated 10 percent of the
inmates tested for drugs in local jails during June 1998
tested positive for one or more illegal drugs, the Justice
Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics announced today. 
More than...

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 1999

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT                  BJS                 
WEDNESDAY,  APRIL 19, 2000                   202/307-0784                            

NATION'S PRISON AND JAIL POPULATION REACHES 1,860,520
       COULD REACH TWO MILLION BY LATE 2001

     WASHINGTON, D.C.   The nation's prisons and jails held
1,860,520 inmates at midyear 1999, the Justice Department's
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today.  That
was an increase of  58,333 from a year earlier, or 1,122
more inmates each...

Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities (SISCF)

Conducted periodically, the survey provides information on individual characteristics of prison inmates, current offenses and sentences, characteristics of victims, criminal histories, family background, gun possession and use, prior drug and alcohol use and treatment, medical and mental health history and treatment, educational programs and other services provided while in prison, as well as other personal characteristics. Data are collected through personal interviews with a nationally...

Survey of Inmates in Federal Correctional Facilities (SIFCF)

First conducted in 1991 by a joint effort between BJS and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The survey is conducted concurrently with the SISCF and includes the same data items: individual characteristics of prison inmates, current offenses and sentences, characteristics of victims, criminal histories, family background, gun possession and use, prior drug and alcohol use and treatment, medical and mental health history and treatment...

Prisoners in 1999

EMBARGOED UNTIL 4:30 P.M. EDT                                          BJS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9,  2000                                    202/307-0784  
               
THE NATION'S PRISON POPULATION GROWTH RATE SLOWS

     WASHINGTON, D.C.   During 1999, the nation's prison population
rose at the lowest rate since 1979 and recorded the smallest absolute
increase since 1988, according to a bulletin released today by the
Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The prison
population growth slowed to 3.4 percent last...

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2000

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EST
SUNDAY, March 25, 2001      202/307-0784

NATION'S STATE PRISON POPULATION GROWTH SLOWS -- LOWEST ANNUAL RATE INCREASE SINCE 1971

WASHINGTON, D.C. - During the year ending June 30, 2000, the nation's state prison population grew by the smallest percentage in 29 years, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. The growth in the number of prisoners...

HIV in Prisons and Jails, 1999

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS
SUNDAY, July 8, 2001 202/307-0784

HIV RATES IN NATION'S PRISONS REMAIN STABLE
AIDS-RELATED DEATHS AMONG PRISONERS DROP SHARPLY

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Between 1995 and 1999 the percent of the nation's prison inmates known to be infected with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) has fluctuated between 2.3 percent and 2.1 percent, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics...

Mental Health Treatment in State Prisons, 2000

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS
SUNDAY, July 15, 2001 202/307-0784

EIGHTY-NINE PERCENT OF STATE ADULT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR PRISONERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On June 30, 2000, 1,394 of the nation's 1,558 adult state correctional facilities provided some type of mental health services to their inmates, according to a new report from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics...

Prisoners in 2000

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS
SUNDAY, AUGUST 12, 2001 202/307-0784

NATION'S STATE PRISON POPULATION FALLS IN SECOND HALF OF 2000 -- FIRST SUCH DECLINE SINCE 1972

WASHINGTON, D.C. - During the last six months of 2000, the nation's state prison population declined by more than 6,200 inmates - the first measured decline since 1972, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)...

Firearm Use by Offenders

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EST BJS
Sunday, November 4, 2001 202/307-0784

EIGHTEEN PERCENT OF STATE PRISONERS COMMITTED THEIR CRIMES WHILE ARMED

Nine Percent of State Prisoners Fired Their Weapons During the Offense

WASHINGTON, D.C. - About 18 percent of state prisoners and 15 percent of federal prisoners reported in 1997 that they were armed when they committed the offense for which they were...

Prisoners in 2001

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS
Tuesday, July 30, 2002 202/307-0784

STATE PRISON POPULATION DROPS IN SECOND HALF OF 2001
FEDERAL INMATE GROWTH CONTINUES

WASHINGTON, D.C. - During 2001, the nation's prison population rose at the lowest rate since 1972 and had the smallest absolute increase since 1979, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. Overall, the number of prisoners...

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2001

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2002 202/307-0784

FEDERAL PRISON POPULATION INCREASES A RECORD AMOUNT
STATE AND LOCAL INMATE GROWTH MODERATES

WASHINGTON, D.C. - During the first six months of 2001 the federal prison system added 7,372 inmates, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. It was the largest ever six-month growth in the federal system. At...

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2002

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS
SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2003 202/307-0784

NATION'S PRISON AND JAIL POPULATION EXCEEDS 2 MILLION INMATES FOR FIRST TIME

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The nation's prisons and jails held more than 2 million inmates for the first time on June 30, 2002, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today.

The 50 states, the District of Columbia and...

Prisoners in 2002

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT Bureau of Justice Statistics
SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2003 Contact: Stu Smith
  202/307-0784

U.S. PRISON POPULATION RISES 2.6 PERCENT DURING 2002

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The country's prisons, jails and juvenile facilities held 2,166,260 persons at the end of last year, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) said in a report released today. This incarcerated population was...

Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2003

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT Bureau of Justice Statistics
THURSDAY, May 27, 2004 Contact: Stu Smith 202/307-0784
  After hours: 301-983-9354

NATION'S PRISON POPULATION INCREASE LARGEST IN FOUR YEARS

Nearly 2.1 Million Incarcerated in Local, State and Federal Facilities

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The nation's prisons and jails held 2,078,570 men and women on June 30, 2003, an increase of 57,600 more inmates than state...

Profile of Jail Inmates, 2002

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT Bureau of Justice Statistics
SUNDAY, July 18, 2004 Contact: Stu Smith 202/307-0784
  After hours: 301-983-9354

HALF OF LOCAL JAIL INMATES WERE ON PROBATION, PAROLE, OR PRE-TRAIL RELEASE AT ARREST

WASHINGTON, D.C. - More than half of the nation's 665,475 local jail inmates as of June 30, 2002, were on probation, parole or pre-trial release at the time...

Capital Punishment, 2003

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EST Bureau of Justice Statistics
SUNDAY, November 14, 2004 Contact: Stu Smith 202/307-0784
  After hours: 301-983-9354

NUMBER OF DEATH ROW INMATES DECLINED FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR DURING 2003

WASHINGTON - There were 3,374 state and federal death row inmates on December 31, 2003, which was 188 fewer than a year earlier, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics...

Prison and Jail Inmates, Midyear 2004

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT Bureau of Justice Statistics
APRIL 24, 2005 www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs
  Contact: Stu Smith 202/307-0784
  After hours: 301-983-9354

NATION'S PRISON AND JAIL POPULATION GREW BY 932 INMATES PER WEEK NUMBER OF FEMALE INMATES REACHED MORE THAN 100,000

WASHINGTON - The nation's prisons and jails held 2,131,180 inmates as of June 30, 2004, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics...