U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT BJS SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 1998 202/307-0784 NATION'S PRISON POPULATION INCREASED BY MORE THAN 5 PERCENT DURING 1997 WASHINGTON, D.C.--The nation's adult prison population grew by 5.2 percent last year--somewhat less than the average annual growth rate of 7 percent recorded since 1990, the Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. The additional 61,186 men andwomen brought the total to 1,244,554 state and federal inmates. This increase was the equivalent of adding 1,177 more prisoners every week. As of June 30, 1997, there were also 567,079 men and women held in local jails, either awaiting trial or serving sentences of one year or less, accounting for a total of more than 1.7 million incarcerated adults in the United States. In addition, as of last December 31 there were 2,772 prisoners in 64 U.S. military facilities and 15,762 prisoners in the U.S. territories and commonwealths--American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Between 1990 and 1996 (the latest year for which these data areavailable), the largest increase in the number of state prisoners was for violent offenders (up 179,500). As a percentage of total growth, violent offenders accounted for 50 percent of the increase during the 6-year period, drug offenders 25 percent, property offenders 18 percent and public order 7 percent. Violent offenders accounted for 46 percent of the increase in the number of white inmates, 50 percent of black inmates and 54 percent of Hispanics. Female drug offenders accounted for 45 percent of the increase in female inmates during the 6-year period. The number of female prisoners grew by 6.2 percent last year, and on December 31 there were 79,624 women in state and federal prisons. Since 1990 the rate of female inmate population growth has averaged 8.8 percent--higher than the 6.9 percent average for men. By the end of 1997, women were 6.4 percent of all prisoners, up from 5.7 percent in 1990. Nine states reported prison population increases of at least 10 percent during 1997. Hawaii had the largest increase (23 percent), followed by West Virginia (15 percent) and Alaska and Maine (14 percent). Oregon, Montana, New Mexico and the District of Columbia had decreases. The number of state sentenced prisoners (prisoners serving sentences of at least one year) grew from 272 per 100,000 U.S. population in 1990 to 410 in 1997. The number in the federal system grew from 20 per 100,000 population to 35 prisoners. At the end of last year state prisons held 1,131,581 inmates and federal prisons 112,973. California (157,547) and Texas (140,729) together held more than a quarter of all state prisoners. Fifteen states, with fewer than 5,000 inmates apiece, held only 4 percent of all prisoners. Among the 50 states, Texas had the highest incarceration rate (717 inmates serving sentences of more than one year per 100,000 residents), followed by Louisiana (672) and Oklahoma (617). North Dakota (112) and Minnesota (113) had the lowest number of prisoners per 100,000 population. As of December 31, state prisons were operating at 15 to 24 percent over capacity, while federal prisons were at 19 percent in excess of capacity. Thirty-two states reported operating at 100 percent or more of capacity. California had the most crowded system --twice its capacity. New Mexico was the lowest -- 82 percent. During the last seven years the nation's prison inmate population has grown more than 60 percent, increasing by 470,635 prisoners. The number of prison inmates by year since 1990 was as follows: State Federal 1990 . . . . . . . . . . 708,393 65,526 1991 . . . . . . . . . . 753,951 71,608 1992 . . . . . . . . . . 802,241 80,259 1993 . . . . . . . . . . 880,857 89,587 1994 . . . . . . . . . . 959,668 95,034 1995 . . . . . . . . . 1,025,624 100,250 1996 . . . . . . . . . 1,077,824 105,544 1997 . . . . . . . . . 1,131,581 112,973 As of year-end 1996 (the latest year for which the following data are available), there were 3,098 black males per 100,000 residents in federal or state prisons, compared to 1,278 Hispanic males and 370 white males. Black females (at a rate of 188 per 100,000 population) were more than twice as likely as Hispanic females (78 per 100,000) and eight times as likely as white females (23 per 100,000) to be imprisoned in 1996. Between 1990 and 1996 incarceration rates rose sharply among older age groups, increasing by 66 percent among people age 35 to 39, 75 percent among those 40 to 44, and 71 percent among persons 45 to 54 years old. The report, "Prisoners in 1997" (NCJ-170014), was written by BJS statisticians Darrell K. Gilliard and Allen J. Beck. Single copies may be obtained from the BJS fax-on-demand system (301/519-5550 and select document number 120), by calling the BJS Clearinghouse at 1-800/732-3277 or by downloading from the BJS Internet site at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ Additional criminal justice information can be obtained from the Office of Justice Programs Internet homepage at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov # # # BJS98183 After hours contact: Stu Smith at 301/983-9354 mm (END OF FILE)