U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EST BJS SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 1997 202/633-3047 ALMOST A THIRD OF ALL CONVICTED STATE FELONS WERE SENTENCED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING OR POSSESSION WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Drug offenders made up almost a third of the 872,200 felons convicted in state courts during 1994, the Justice Department announced today. Property crimes accounted for another third and violent crimes for about a fifth. The number of state convictions in 1994 declined from 1992 (893,600), but was higher than in 1988 (667,400), when the Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) first conducted this biennial survey. In 1994, 89 percent of state convicted felons pleaded guilty, and the typical convicted felon received a sentence six and one-half months after being arrested. In 1988, despite fewer cases and a higher percentage of guilty pleas (91 percent), the average case had taken longer--seven months. The proportion of state felons sentenced to prison in 1994 (45 percent) was generally unchanged from 1988 (44 percent). Felons who were sentenced to a state prison during 1994 had an average sentence of six years, but were likely to serve about 38 percent of that term--or about two years--assuming that 1994 release policies will continue. The average sentence to a local jail was six months. The average probation time was a little more than three years. In addition, a fine was imposed on 21 percent of the convicted felons, restitution on 18 percent and community service on 7 percent. Treatment was ordered for 7 percent. State felony convictions throughout the country during 1994 were for the following offenses: Violent crimes . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.9% Murder and manslaughter . . 1.4 Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 Robbery . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 Aggravated assault . . . . . 7.5 Other violent crimes* . . . 2.4 Property crimes . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.6 Burglary . . . . . . . . . . 11.2 Larceny . . . . . . . . . . 13.0 Fraud and forgery . . . . . 7.3 Drug offenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.4 Possession . . . . . . . . . 12.5 Trafficking. . . . . . . . . 19.0 Weapons offenses . . . . . . . . . . . 3.6 Other non-violent crimes** . . . . . 14.6 ----- TOTAL 100% ----- *Other violent crimes include negligent manslaughter, sexual assault and kidnapping. **Other non-violent crimes include receiving stolen property and vandalism. Forty-eight percent of the felons convicted of drug trafficking were sent to a state prison, 23 percent were sent to a jail and 29 percent were given probation without incarceration. Of those convicted of illegal drug possession, 34 percent were sent to prison, 32 percent to jail and 34 percent were given probation. People in their twenties comprised about 20 percent of the adult population in the United States but 43 percent of the state convicted felons. Half of the convicted state felons were 29 years old or older. Fifty-one percent of the convicted felons were white, 48 percent were black and 1 percent were of other races. The data are from the bulletin "Felony Sentences in State Courts, 1994" (NCJ-163391), written by BJS statisticians Patrick A. Langan and Jodi M. Brown. It is available for news media members only on the Internet at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/preview/sneakpk.htm It will be available to the general public beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST, Sunday, January 12, on BJS's Internet home page by clicking on "What's new at BJS." The BJS webpage address is: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ Additional BJS materials may be obtained from the BJS fax-on-demand service (301/251-5550) or calling the BJS Clearinghouse on 1-800/732-3277. After hours contact: Stu Smith at 301/983-9354 (end of file)