U.S. Department of Justice · Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics

Corrections facts at a glance

Corrections Spreadsheets

Reentry Trends in the United States

Corrections Statistics

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Summary findings | About the data collections |
Also by BJS staff | Selected statistics | Related sites

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Summary findings

The number of adults in the correctional population has been increasing.

Adult correctional populations, 1980-2002

In 2003, 6.9 million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole at yearend 2003 -- 3.2% of all U.S. adult residents or 1 in every 32 adults.
State and Federal prison authorities had under their jurisdiction 1,460,920 inmates at midyear 2003: 1,290,459 under State jurisdiction and 170,461 under Federal jurisdiction.
Local jails held or supervised 762,672 persons awaiting trial or serving a sentence at midyear 2003. About 71,400 of these were persons serving their sentence in the community.

After dramatic increases in the 1980s and 1990s, the incarceration rate has recently leveled off.

Incarceration rate, 1980-2002

Between 1995 and midyear 2003, the incarcerated population grew an average 3.7% annually. Population growth during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2003 was lower in State prisons (up 2.6%) than in local jails (up 3.9%) and Federal prison (up 5.4%).

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BJS Corrections data collections

National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) produces annual and semiannual national and State-level data on the numbers of prisoners in State and Federal prison facilities.
Since 1926, the Federal government has published data annually on the prisoner count in each State, the District of Columbia, and the Federal prison system.

NPS-1 questionnaire: Acrobat file (78K)

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National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP) collects data annually on prison admissions and releases and on parole entries and discharges in participating jurisdictions. Demographic information, conviction offenses, sentence length, minimum time to be served, credited jail time, type of admission, type of release, and time served are collected from individual prisoner records.
Annually starting 1983.

Codebooks and Datasets

NCRP spreadsheets since 1993

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Data on CD-ROM

Capital Punishment (NPS-8) series yields annual national and State-level data on persons sentenced to death and those executed. Data collected include offender demographic characteristics, prior criminal histories, and criminal justice system status at the time of the capital offense, and time spent on death row.

Annually with data are available on executions since 1930 and sentencing since 1973.

Codebooks and Datasets

NPS-8 questionnaire: Acrobat file (176K)

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Annual Survey of Jails collects intercensal estimates of the number of inmates in the Nation's local jails and data on the relationship between jail populations and capacities.

Annually starting 1982; excluding years 1983,1988, 1993, and 1999 in which a complete census of U.S. local jails was conducted.

2000 questionnaire Acrobat file (108K)

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Codebooks and Datasets

Census of Jails is conducted every 5 years, detailing information on each facility, admissions and releases, court orders, programs that offer alternatives to incarceration, amount charged to hold an inmate for another jurisdiction, use of space and crowding, staffing, health care (including prevalence of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis), drug testing policies and practices, inmate work assignments, and education and counseling programs. The census furnishes the sampling frame for the nationwide survey of jail inmates.
1970, 1972,1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1999.

Codebooks and Datasets

1999 Census of Jails Questionnaires (in Acrobat format):

CJ-3: 1999 Census of Jails (120K) - for jail jurisdictions with one or more jail facilities that share the same staff and budget
CJ-3A: Jurisdiction Data (115K) - for the central data reporter of jail jurisdictions with multiple jail facilities having separate staff and budgets.
CJ-3A Addendum: Facility Data (37K) - for facility-level data on jail facilities listed in Section 1 of form CJ-3A
CJ-3B: Multi-Jurisdiction Facility (121K) - for jail facilities operated by two or more governments through cooperative agreements
CJ-3C: Private Facility (118K)- for jail facilities owned or operated by a private corporation
CJ-3D: In Indian Country (50K) - for jail facilities located in Indian Country

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Survey of Inmates in Local Jails (SILJ) is periodically administered to collect data on the personal and family characteristics of jail inmates, past drug and alcohol use, history of physical and sexual abuse, and history of contact with the criminal justice system. The survey relies on personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of almost 6,000 inmates.
1978, 1983, 1989, 1996.

Codebooks and Datasets

1996 questionnaire (Acrobat format - 886K)

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Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities is conducted approximately every 5 years, providing detailed information on the types of inmates housed, facility age and type, security level, court orders, programs, health and safety conditions, confinement space, employment, and operating costs.
1974, 1979, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2000.

CJ-43: 2000 Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities questionnaire (Acrobat format - 169K)

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Codebooks and Datasets

Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities (SISCF) is conducted every 5 years, providing 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, educational programs and other services provided while in prison, as well as other personal characteristics. Data are collected through personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of 14,000 inmates in about 300 State prisons.
1974, 1979, 1986, 1991, 1997.

Codebooks and Datasets

1997 questionnaire(Acrobat format - 560K)

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Survey of Inmates in Federal Correctional Facilities (SIFCF) was first conducted in 1991 by a joint effort between BJS and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The survey collects the same information as the SISCF and will also be conducted every 5 years. Data were collected through personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of 6,600 inmates in 53 Federal prisons.
1991, 1997.

Codebooks and Datasets

1997 questionnaire (Acrobat format -560K )

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Probation and Parole Data Surveys annually gather data on State and Federal probation and parole counts and movements and the characteristics of persons under the supervision of probation and parole agencies. Published data include admissions and releases by method of entry and discharge, demographic characteristics, offense type (probation), maximum sentence to incarceration (parole), intensive supervision, and electronic monitoring.
Annually since 1980.

2001 Probation Data Survey questionnaire (Acrobat format - 37K)
2001 Parole Data Survey questionnaire (Acrobat format - 45K )

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Inventory of State and Federal corrections information systems collected basic information on State and Federal offender-based corrections information systems including a description of the capabilities of the information systems for producing data extracts, linking records, and exchanging information electronically. The inventory was conducted by the Urban Institute with sponsorship from BJS, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the Corrections Program Office (CPO), and with assistance from the State-Federal Committee of the Association of State Corrections Administrators (ASCA).
1998.

Inventory of data elements questionnaire: Acrobat file (130K)

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Survey of Adults on Probation (SAP) obtains for the first time detailed information on the background and characteristics of a national sample of probationers representative of the 2.5 million adults under such supervision in the community. Specific areas of inquiry include criminal history, prior drug and alcohol use, participation in drug and alcohol treatment programs, use of firearms, victim characteristics, the conditions of supervision, and the extent of contact with probation authorities.
1995

Codebooks and Datasets

Deaths in Custody collects quarterly inmate death records from each of the Nation's 50 State prison systems, 50 State juvenile correctional authorities, and 3,095 local jails. In addition, this program collects quarterly records of all deaths during the process of arrest by each of the Nation's 17,784 State and local law enforcement agencies. These death records include information on the deceased's personal characteristics (age, gender and race/ethnicity), their criminal background (legal status, offense types, length of stay in custody), as well as details of the death itself (the date, time, location and cause of each death, as well as information on autopsies and medical treatment provided for illnesses/diseases). Data collections covering these populations were developed in annual phases: data collection from local jails began in 2000, State prisons were added in 2001, State juvenile correctional agencies were added in 2002, and coverage of arrest-process deaths began in 2003. While data is collected on a quarterly schedule, datasets will be produced in annual formats, with the first release of information (covering 2000-2002) scheduled for Fall 2004.
Annually beginning in 2000

Current Deaths in Custody Questionnaires (in Acrobat format):: Quarterly Report on Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction CJ-9 (67K); Annual Summary on Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, 2003 CJ-9A(160K); Quarterly Report on Inmates in Private and Multi-Jurisdiction Jails CJ-10 (66K); Annual Summary on Inmates in Private and Multi-Jurisdiction Jails, 2003 CJ-10A (159K); Quarterly Summary of Inmate Deaths in State Prisons NPS-4 (128K); State Prison Inmate Death Report NPS-4 (137K); Quarterly Summary of Deaths in State Juvenile Residential Facilities NPS-5 (178K); State Juvenile Residential Death Report NPS-5A (176K); Quarterly Summary of Deaths in Law Enforcement Custody CJ-11 (173 K); Law Enforcement Custodial Death Report CJ-11A (174K)

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Census of State and Local Probation and Parole Agencies is a complete census of Federal, State, and locally operated probation and parole agencies. The census gathers data on staffing, expenditures, program operation and participation levels, and drug and HIV-testing policies and programs. The census serves as the sampling frame for the national Survey of Adults on Probation.
1991

National Recidivism Study of Released Prisoners provides national estimates of the recidivism rate of prisoners released in 1983 and 1994. In the two editions of the survey, samples of released prisoners are tracked for three years, and data are compiled on the percentage of them that are rearrested, reconvicted, or reimprisoned for new crimes within the three-year follow-up period. The various recidivism measures are based on official criminal history records maintained by each State and the FBI.
1983, 1994

Recidivism Survey of Felons on Probation provides national estimates of the recidivism rate of felons sentenced to probation in selected years. In the survey, samples of convicted felons placed on probation are tracked for three years, and data are compiled on the percentage of them that are rearrested, reconvicted, or reimprisoned for new crimes within the three-year follow-up period. The various recidivism measures are based on official criminal history records maintained by each State.
1986

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Also by BJS staff

Beck, Allen J. and Peter M. Brien, "Trends in the U.S. Correctional Populations: Recent findings from the Bureau of Justice Statistics" The Dilemmas of Corrections, 3rd Edition.

Greenfeld, Lawrence A. and Steven D. Dillingham. "An Overview of National Corrections Statistics," Federal Probation Quarterly, Washington, D.C.: Administrative Office of the United States Courts, June 1991.

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