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

December 2013, NCJ 243920

Trends in Admissions and Releases, 1991–2012
E. Ann Carson and Daniela Golinelli, BJS Statisticians

T

he prisoner population in the United States
in 2012 declined for the third straight year,
from 1,599,000 at yearend 2011 to 1,570,400
at yearend 2012. On December 31, 2012, the
number of persons sentenced to serve more than
1 year (1,511,500) in state or federal prison facilities
decreased by 27,400 prisoners from yearend 2011 and
by 42,600 from yearend 2009, when the U.S. prison
population was at its peak (figure 1). Between 1978
and 2009, the number of prisoners held in federal
and state facilities in the United States increased
almost 430%, from 294,400 on December 31, 1978,
to 1,555,600 on December 31, 2009. This growth
occurred because the number of prison admissions
exceeded the number of releases from state prisons
each year. However, in 2009, prison releases exceeded
admissions for the first time in more than 31 years,
beginning the decline in the total yearend prison
population. Admissions to state and federal prisons

declined by 118,900 offenders (down 16.3%) between
2009 and 2012. In 2012, the number of admissions
(609,800) was the lowest since 1999, representing a
9.2% decline (down 61,800 offenders) from 2011.

Bul l etin

Prisoners in 2012

This report describes changes in the types of state
prison admissions and releases between 1991 and
2011. Changes over time in the total yearend prison
population are influenced by changes in the number
of state prisoners who make up 87% of the total
prison population. The report also discusses how
these changes influence sex, race, Hispanic origin,
offense, and sentence length distributions. The
statistics in this report are based on the Bureau of
Justice Statistics’ (BJS) National Prisoner Statistics
(NPS) Program, National Corrections Reporting
Program, and the 1991 and 2004 surveys of state
prison inmates.

Figure 1
Sentenced state and federal prison admissions and releases and yearend sentenced prison population, 1978–2012
Number of admissions or releases

Number of sentenced prisoners

800,000

2,000,000
Total releases

600,000

1,500,000
Total admissions

Sentenced prison population

400,000

1,000,000

200,000

500,000

0
'78 '79 '80 '81 '82 '83 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12

0

Note: Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Excludes transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Includes
other conditional release violators, returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. Missing data were imputed for Illinois and Nevada (2012) and
the Federal Bureau of Prisons (1990–1992). See Methodology.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 1978–2012.

BJS

HIGHLIGHTS
„„ In 2012, the number of admissions to state and federal

prison in the United States was 609,800 offenders, the lowest
number since 1999.
„„ The number of releases from U.S. prisons in 2012 (637,400)

exceeded that of admissions for the fourth consecutive
year, contributing to the decline in the total U.S. prison
population.
„„ In 2011, the majority of state prisoners in 2011 (53%) were

serving time for violent offenses.
„„ New court commitments made up 82% of state admissions

in 1978, 57% in 2000, and 71% in 2012.
„„ New court commitments to state prisons for drug offenders

decreased 22% between 2006 and 2011, while parole
violation admissions decreased 31%.
„„ Between 1991 and 2011, new court commitments of females

to state prison for violent offenses increased 83%, from 4,800
in 1991 to 8,700 in 2011.

The drop in state prison admissions drove the overall
decline in U.S. prison admissions in 2012
Admissions to U.S. prisons in 2012 declined by 61,800
offenders (9.2%) from 2011, the sixth year in which the
number of admissions has decreased. Admissions declined
from a high of 747,000 in 2006 to 609,800 in 2012 (table 1).
Both state departments of corrections and the Federal Bureau
of Prisons admitted fewer inmates in 2012 than in 2011,
although the decline in admissions to state prisons (down
57,100) accounted for 92% of the total decrease. The number
of admissions to state prisons in 2012 (553,800) is the lowest
since 1997. The highest number of admissions to federal
prisons occurred in 2011 (60,600 admissions). In 2012, federal
prison admissions decreased by 4,700 admissions or 7.7%.
Admissions or entries to prison for violating conditional
release from prison, typically referred to as parole violation
admissions (which also include new crimes committed
while serving a term of parole), represented 16% of all state
prison admissions and 10% of federal prison admissions in
1978. However, this type of admission increased over the
following years.

„„ Drug offenses accounted for 24% of new court admissions

of black inmates in 2011, a decrease from a range of 35% to
38% from 1991 to 2006.
„„ Since 1991, the proportion of newly admitted violent

offenders receiving prison sentences of less than 5 years has
increased.
„„ California’s Public Safety Realignment policy drove the

decrease in the total number of admissions to California
state prisons, as well as a decline in the proportion of
admissions to California state prisons for parole violation
(from 65% in 2010 to 23% in 2012).
„„ Prisoners age 44 and younger accounted for 80% of prison

admissions, 77% of releases, and 72% of the yearend
population in 2012.
„„ The number of prisoners sentenced to more than 1 year

under state or federal correctional authorities in 2012 was
1,511,500, down from 1,538,800 at yearend 2011.

Admissions for new crimes (82% of all state admissions in
1978) reached a low of 57% in 2000 before rebounding to
65% in 2011. New court commitments accounted for 71% of
all state and 92% of federal prison entries in 2012. While the
overall number of new court commitments to state prisons
declined by 1.3% between 2011 and 2012, the proportion of
this type of admissions increased due to a 26% decrease in the
number of parole violation admissions.
About 8% (4,700 prisoners) of federal prison admissions in
2012 were prisoners returned for violating their conditional
release. There were 52,400 fewer admissions due to parole
violation to state prisons in 2012 than in 2011 (down 26%).
Parole violation admissions accounted for 27% of the total state
prison entries, down from 33% in 2011. This decrease can be
attributed to the large decline in parole violation admissions
in California, from 60,300 in 2011 to 8,000 in 2012. Overall,
admissions to California prisons declined by 65% between
2011 and 2012, while entries on parole violations decreased by
87% (appendix table 1).

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

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Table 1
Sentenced state and federal prison admissions, by type of admission, 1978–2012
Year
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990c
1991c
1992c
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011d
2012d,e

Total
152,039
161,280
171,884
199,943
218,087
237,925
234,293
258,514
291,903
326,228
365,724
447,388
462,500
468,000
482,400
500,335
523,577
549,313
542,863
572,281
603,510
606,728
654,534
638,978
660,576
686,471
697,066
730,141
747,031
742,875
738,631
728,686
703,798
671,551
609,781

All admissionsa
Federal
14,724
14,120
12,598
12,830
14,818
16,745
16,013
17,916
18,501
18,709
18,696
23,491
/
/
/
25,235
27,271
27,337
30,239
33,906
38,219
41,972
43,732
45,140
48,144
52,288
52,982
56,057
57,495
53,618
53,662
56,153
54,121
60,634
55,938

State
137,315
147,160
159,286
187,113
203,269
221,180
218,280
240,598
273,402
307,519
347,028
423,897
460,739
466,285
480,676
475,100
496,306
521,976
512,624
538,375
565,291
564,756
610,802
593,838
612,432
634,183
644,084
674,084
689,536
689,257
684,969
672,533
649,677
610,917
553,843

New court commitments
Total
Federal
State
126,121
13,247
112,874
131,057
12,619
118,438
142,122
10,907
131,215
160,272
11,086
149,186
177,109
12,461
164,648
187,408
14,119
173,289
180,418
13,491
166,927
198,499
15,368
183,131
219,382
16,067
203,315
241,887
16,260
225,627
261,242
15,932
245,310
316,215
18,388
297,827
328,300
/
323,069
322,500
/
317,237
339,600
/
334,301
341,722
23,653
318,069
345,035
23,956
321,079
361,464
23,972
337,492
353,893
27,346
326,547
365,085
30,560
334,525
381,646
34,376
347,270
375,796
37,455
338,341
389,734
39,303
350,431
405,422
40,193
365,229
433,959
42,303
391,656
445,556
45,713
399,843
457,096
45,796
411,300
470,149
48,723
421,426
492,315
50,204
442,111
479,710
48,691
431,019
477,100
49,270
427,830
474,997
51,524
423,473
458,360
49,515
408,845
454,526
55,817
398,709
444,591
51,241
393,350

Total
23,844
25,668
28,817
35,674
39,003
45,568
52,007
58,694
71,184
82,959
101,354
122,156
133,600
141,800
141,700
147,712
170,974
178,641
175,311
189,765
209,782
202,163
207,755
220,064
213,455
205,062
226,211
239,560
246,571
252,775
253,035
242,347
231,917
205,297
152,780

Parole violationsb
Federal
1,429
1,454
1,640
1,709
2,317
2,583
2,475
2,502
2,401
2,435
2,744
1,611
/
/
/
1,346
3,146
2,915
2,672
3,106
3,630
4,292
4,186
4,720
5,600
6,357
7,178
7,331
7,286
4,924
4,390
4,628
4,606
4,816
4,696

State
22,415
24,214
27,177
33,965
36,686
42,985
49,532
56,192
68,783
80,524
98,610
120,545
133,870
142,100
141,961
146,366
167,828
175,726
172,639
186,659
206,152
197,871
203,569
215,344
207,855
198,705
219,033
232,229
239,285
247,851
248,645
237,719
227,311
200,481
148,084

/Not reported.
aCounts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Excludes transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals for all admissions include other
conditional release violations, returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. See Methodology.
bIncludes all conditional release violators returned to prison for either violations of conditions of release or for new crimes.
cThe Federal Bureau of Prisons did not report admission data. National totals include an imputed count for BOP admissions.
dAlaska did not report type of admission. State and national totals for all admissions include Alaska counts, but totals for admission types do not.
eMissing 2012 data were imputed for Illinois and Nevada.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 1978–2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

3

Releases from state prison in 2012 exceeded admissions
for the fourth consecutive year, contributing to the decline
in the total prison population

increase in the number of releases from 2011 to 2012, led by
Colorado (up 17%), Hawaii and Massachusetts (up 16% each),
Idaho (up 13%), and Nebraska (up 12% ) (appendix table 1).

Although the number of releases or exits from U.S. prisons
declined 7.7% between 2011 and 2012, releases exceeded the
number of prison admissions (table 2). Total U.S. and state
prison releases have outpaced admissions since 2009. The
decline in releases from state prison offset the increase in
exits from federal prison. State prisons released 54,500 fewer
inmates in 2012 than in 2011. However, 27 states had an

The number of releases from California state prisons declined
by 62,000 offenders (down 57%), from 109,500 in 2011 to
47,500 in 2012. Twenty-three other states released fewer
inmates from prison in 2012 compared to 2011, including New
Hampshire (down 17%), Arkansas (down 13%), Oklahoma
(down 10%), Nevada (down 9%), and Georgia and Michigan
(down 8% each).

Table 2
Sentenced state and federal prison releases, by type of release, 1978–2012
Year
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990d
1991d
1992d
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2,010
2011e
2012e,f

Total
142,033
154,277
157,604
162,294
174,808
212,302
208,608
219,310
247,619
288,781
318,889
367,388
404,000
420,000
428,300
434,082
434,766
474,296
488,748
514,322
546,616
574,624
635,094
628,626
633,947
656,574
672,202
701,632
709,874
721,161
734,144
729,749
708,677
691,072
637,411

All releasesa
Federal
17,361
18,518
14,748
11,715
13,373
14,415
15,024
13,410
15,115
16,012
15,302
18,104
/
/
/
18,676
21,062
22,292
24,647
27,280
29,239
31,816
35,259
38,370
42,339
44,135
46,624
48,323
47,920
48,764
52,348
50,720
52,487
55,239
56,037

State
124,672
135,759
142,856
150,579
161,435
197,887
193,584
205,900
232,504
272,769
303,587
349,284
403,777
419,831
428,110
415,406
413,704
452,004
464,101
487,042
517,377
542,808
599,835
590,256
591,608
612,439
625,578
653,309
661,954
672,397
681,796
679,029
656,190
635,833
581,374

Total
107,691
117,135
122,952
124,415
140,179
166,345
166,417
174,916
202,530
232,871
253,651
302,327
337,000
351,300
355,300
355,773
353,020
374,483
369,808
386,076
406,050
420,306
426,617
438,449
443,996
444,771
483,215
497,475
499,950
505,726
505,350
505,504
494,249
474,681
408,186

Conditional releasesb
Federal
9,651
10,442
8,252
6,431
7,086
8,151
8,933
8,748
10,118
11,358
9,511
13,136
/
/
/
5,742
4,790
3,747
3,176
2,445
2,148
1,919
1,991
2,234
3,154
2,603
2,488
2,105
1,746
1,545
1,225
1,479
962
649
591

State
98,040
106,693
114,700
117,984
133,093
158,194
157,484
166,168
192,412
221,513
244,140
289,191
339,439
353,774
357,731
350,031
348,230
370,736
366,632
383,631
403,902
418,387
424,626
436,215
440,842
442,168
480,727
495,370
498,204
504,181
504,125
504,025
493,287
474,032
407,595

Total
25,902
26,754
25,915
27,901
28,913
38,307
39,192
41,915
42,832
53,253
62,675
62,107
57,900
58,200
61,100
69,636
72,836
88,081
103,435
109,896
126,086
128,923
148,336
162,007
161,293
163,607
166,862
179,651
193,720
199,393
216,036
211,324
202,499
202,602
213,204

Unconditional releasesc
Federal
State
4,146
21,756
4,493
22,261
3,647
22,268
3,396
24,505
4,862
24,051
5,264
33,043
5,177
34,015
4,188
37,727
4,572
38,260
4,260
48,993
5,437
57,238
4,864
57,243
/
55,243
/
55,579
/
58,425
12,801
56,835
15,986
56,850
18,054
70,027
19,699
83,736
22,294
87,602
23,939
102,147
26,089
102,834
29,180
119,156
31,715
130,292
33,904
127,389
36,221
127,386
43,715
123,147
45,708
133,943
45,749
147,971
46,804
152,589
50,708
165,328
49,208
162,116
51,110
151,389
54,163
148,439
55,079
158,125

/Not reported.
aCounts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Excludes transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals for all releases include deaths,
releases to appeal or bond, and other releases. See Methodology.
bIncludes releases to probation, supervised mandatory releases, and other unspecified conditional releases.
cIncludes expirations of sentence, commutations, and other unconditional releases.
dThe Federal Bureau of Prisons did not report release data. National totals include an imputed count for BOP releases.
eAlaska did not report type of release. State and national totals for all releases include Alaska counts, but totals for release types do not.
fMissing 2012 data were imputed for Illinois and Nevada.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 1978–2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

4

Releases from federal prisons increased by more than 1%
in 2012, continuing a trend that started in 2009. The BOP
released 56,000 inmates in 2012, which exceeded admissions
by 100 inmates. This was the first year in more than a decade
in which the federal system released more inmates than
it admitted.
Conditional releases, including supervised mandatory releases,
discretionary parole, and shock probation, continued a decline
that started in 2009, decreasing 14% between 2011 and 2012.
Federal prisons released 9% fewer inmates on conditional
status in 2012 than in 2011 due to the decline in federal prison
inmates sentenced before the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984,
which abolished parole for federal prisoners. Conditional
releases accounted for 1% of exits from federal prisons in
2012, compared to 70% of state prison releases. Since 1978,
conditional releases accounted for 70% to 84% of state
prison releases.
In comparison, the number of unconditional releases increased
in both state and federal prison systems. State prisons had
6.5% (or 9,700) more unconditional releases in 2012 than in
2011, while these exits increased by 1.7% (or 900 inmates) in
the federal system. In 2011, California released 13,700 inmates
without conditions, which increased to about 29,500 offenders
in 2012. Nationally, unconditional prison releases accounted
for 33% of all exits, up from 29% in 2011.
Violent offenders accounted for a larger proportion of the
state prison population between 1991 and 2011
In 1991, 45% of all state prisoners—or an estimated 327,000
offenders—were sentenced to more than 1 year for violent
offenses (table 3). On December 31, 2006 (the year in which
admissions to state prisons reached their peak), 50% of all
sentenced prisoners in custody of state correctional authorities
were violent offenders. In 2011 (the most recent year for which
state prison offense data are available), more than 53% (or
an estimated 718,000 offenders) of the yearend population
was serving a sentence for a violent crime. While robbery
was the most common offense across the 20-year period, the
proportion of violent offenders convicted for murder or any
sexual assault increased over time. Property offenders (250,000
prisoners or 19% of all state prisoners) exceeded the number of
drug offenders in custody in 2011 (223,000 inmates, or 17% of
the inmate population).

Table 3
Estimated percent of sentenced prisoners under state
jurisdiction, by most serious offense, December 31, 1991, 2001,
2006, and 2011
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Murdera
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugb
Public orderc
Other/unspecifiedd
Number of sentenced prisoners

1991
100%
44.6%
10.8
2.1
8.2
13.9
7.9
1.7
25.3%
11.2
5.8
1.9
3.9
2.5
23.0%
8.2
14.8
6.6%
0.4%
732,916

2001
2006
2011
100%
100%
100%
50.6%
50.4%
53.5%
12.1
11.4
12.6
1.4
1.4
1.5
11.2
11.8
12.4
13.5
13.2
13.7
9.7
9.9
10.3
2.7
2.7
2.9
20.6%
19.6%
18.6%
10.3
9.6
9.9
4.0
3.4
3.2
1.4
1.6
1.1
2.5
2.7
2.2
2.4
2.3
2.2
21.0%
20.0%
16.6%
4.6
5.3
4.1
16.4
14.7
12.5
7.2%
9.4%
10.6%
0.6%
0.6%
0.7%
1,208,708 1,331,065 1,341,797

Note: Counts based on prisoners under state jurisdiction on December 31 with a
sentence of more than 1 year. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and
missing offense data. Estimates may vary from those previously published due
to differences in methodology. Sentenced prisoner totals from National Prisoner
Statistics Program. Offense distribution based on National Corrections Reporting
Program administrative data. See Methodology.
aIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
bIncludes drug trafficking.
cIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions;
commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and
other public order offenses.
dIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 1991, 2001,
2006, and 2011; National Corrections Reporting Program, 2001, 2006, and 2011;and
Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities, 1991.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

5

An increase in the number of admissions to state prisons for
violent offenses contributed to the growth of these sentenced
inmates in the yearend prison population. Fewer violent
offenders than property and drug offenders were admitted
in 1991, 2001, and 2006 (table 4), but by 2011, the estimated
proportion of admissions for violent and property offenses
was roughly equal. There were 78,600 fewer total admissions
in 2011 than in 2006, and 65% of this decline (or an estimated
51,000 persons) was due to fewer admissions for drug crimes.
A drop in the number of persons sentenced for drug crimes
other than possession accounted for the majority (66%, or an
estimated 33,600 persons) of the decrease in admissions for
drug crimes between 2006 and 2011.

Table 4
Estimated state prison admissions, by most serious offense,
1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Murdera
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugb
Public orderc
Other/unspecifiedd
Number of admissions

1991
100%
26.9%
2.6
1.0
4.9
10.5
6.7
1.1
35.4%
16.1
9.4
3.0
3.9
2.9
28.3%
7.0
21.3
7.8%
1.6%
466,285

2001
100%
27.3%
2.1
0.8
5.2
8.5
8.7
2.1
29.4%
11.4
7.5
2.7
4.2
3.6
32.1%
8.9
23.3
10.6%
0.5%
593,838

2006
100%
26.1%
1.7
0.7
5.1
7.0
9.3
2.3
29.1%
10.7
6.6
3.4
4.7
3.7
29.9%
9.7
20.2
14.4%
0.6%
689,536

2011
100%
29.1%
2.0
0.7
5.4
8.0
10.6
2.4
29.0%
12.4
6.1
2.6
3.9
4.0
25.4%
8.0
17.3
15.8%
0.8%
610,917

Note: Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to
state prison. Excludes transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL).
Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and missing offense data. Admission
totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense distribution based on
National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See Methodology.
Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in
methodology.
aIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
bIncludes drug trafficking.
cIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions;
commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and
other public order offenses.
dIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and
National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

6

Between 1991 and 2011, changes in state prison
admission types were associated with changes in the
offense distributions
As the distribution of types of admissions to state prison
changed over time, so did the demographic and offense
compositions of admitted prisoners. In 1991, new court
commitments were almost equally distributed between
violent, property, and drug offenses, while parole violation
admissions of property offenders were almost twice the
number of admissions for violent crimes or drug offenses
(table 5). By 2001, the distribution between the three offense
categories for parole violation admissions was more balanced,
and drug offenders represented the largest proportion of both
new court commitments and parole violation admissions.

The number of new admissions and readmissions for violent
offenses increased between 1991 and 2006, but only due to the
overall growth in state prison admissions. The proportion of
violent offenders among new court commitment and parole
violation admissions was stable until each increased by about
3% in 2011.
New court commitments of individuals committing drug
offenses other than possession, a category that includes drug
trafficking, decreased by 19% (or 16,300 inmates) between
2006 and 2011. The number of persons newly admitted to
prison on drug possession sentences experienced a 27%
decline during the same period, with an estimated 11,300
fewer new admissions. Parole violation admissions for drug
offenders decreased 31% or 23,300 fewer readmissions.

Table 5
Estimated state prison admissions, by type of admission and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offensea
Total
Violent
Murderb
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugc
Public orderd
Other/unspecifiede
Number of admissions

1991
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
28.7%
23.7%
3.0
1.7
1.3
0.5
5.6
3.6
9.9
11.6
7.5
5.5
1.4
0.7
31.4%
42.4%
13.5
20.8
8.1
11.7
2.4
4.1
3.8
4.1
3.6
1.8
29.9%
25.5%
6.9
7.0
23.0
18.5
8.9%
6.1%
1.1%
2.3%
317,237
142,100

2001
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
29.4%
23.9%
2.5
1.3
1.0
0.4
6.3
3.4
8.1
9.2
9.2
7.9
2.3
1.8
27.4%
32.5%
10.4
12.9
6.6
8.8
2.0
3.9
4.7
3.3
3.7
3.5
30.5%
35.1%
8.7
9.1
21.8
26.0
12.1%
8.0%
0.6%
0.5%
365,229
215,344

2006
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
27.3%
24.1%
2.0
1.1
0.8
0.4
5.7
3.9
6.8
7.4
9.5
9.1
2.4
2.1
26.9%
33.3%
9.9
12.4
6.1
7.4
2.4
5.4
4.9
4.1
3.5
4.0
28.8%
31.7%
9.6
9.7
19.2
22.0
16.4%
10.3%
0.6%
0.6%
442,111
239,285

2011
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
30.0%
27.4%
2.4
1.2
0.8
0.3
5.7
4.8
7.9
8.4
10.7
10.5
2.5
2.2
27.5%
32.4%
12.1
13.1
5.9
6.6
1.7
4.9
4.1
3.4
3.8
4.4
24.9%
26.2%
7.8
8.7
17.2
17.5
16.8%
13.2%
0.8%
0.8%
398,709
200,481

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment or on a conditional release violation, either for a release
condition violation or for a new crime. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and missing offense data. Admission totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program.
Offense distribution based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See Methodology. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to
differences in methodology.
aFor parole violation admissions, most serious offense refers to the original offense for which an inmate was sentenced, not the incident causing the parole revocation.
bIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
cIncludes drug trafficking.
dIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
eIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

7

The number of females admitted on new court
commitments for violent offenses in 2011 increased by 2%
from 2006 and by 83% from 1991
Between 1991 and 2006, the number of new court
commitments to state prison for violent offenses increased by
30% for males and 79% for females, although the proportion
of violent crime new court commitments remained roughly
the same (table 6). In 2011, the proportion of violent offenders
among all new court commitments increased for both males
and females. However, because of the decrease in overall
admissions between 2006 and 2011, about 1,500 fewer males
were admitted to state prison for violent crimes, while the
number of females increased by 180 violent offenders. Over
the 20-year period, the number of females admitted for violent
offenses on new court commitments increased 83%, from
4,800 in 1991 to 8,700 in 2011.

While the proportion of property crime offenders among new
court commitments decreased among males between 1991 and
2006, the number of male offenders sentenced for these crimes
increased due to the overall growth in state prison admissions.
In 2006, 19,600 females entered prison for property crimes
compared to 10,300 in 1991, and 17,100 in 2011. New
admissions for public order offenses—including weapons and
drunk driving offenses, habitual offender sanctions, and vice
crimes—increased by about 39,100 for male inmates between
1991 and 2006, the largest absolute change in the number of
admissions. Among the most common public order offenses
resulting in a new court commitment to prison, weapons
offenses increased 157% between 1991 and 2011, driving while
under the influence grew 61%, and court offenses (including
perjury, failure to appear, bond jumping, and tampering)
increased 751% (detailed breakdown of offense categories
not shown). Obstruction of law enforcement grew 226%
over the same period, and admissions of habitual offenders
increased 311%.

Table 6
Estimated new court commitments to state prison, by sex and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
1991
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Murdera
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugb
Public orderc
Other/unspecifiedd
Number of new court commitments

Male
100%
29.9%
3.1
1.2
6.1
10.4
7.7
1.4
31.0%
14.3
7.4
2.6
3.1
3.7
28.8%
6.7
22.2
9.2%
1.1%
288,408

2001
Female
100%
16.5%
2.5
1.9
0.6
5.2
5.1
1.3
35.7%
5.2
15.3
0.9
11.8
2.5
40.9%
9.6
31.3
5.6%
1.4%
28,829

Male
100%
30.8%
2.6
0.9
6.9
8.6
9.5
2.3
26.3%
10.9
6.0
2.1
3.6
3.7
29.7%
8.4
21.3
12.6%
0.5%
325,801

2006
Female
100%
17.2%
2.0
1.4
0.9
4.4
6.0
2.5
36.8%
5.8
12.0
1.3
14.7
3.1
37.3%
11.7
25.6
8.0%
0.7%
39,428

Male
100%
28.9%
2.1
0.8
6.4
7.2
10.0
2.4
25.6%
10.4
5.5
2.5
3.6
3.5
28.1%
9.2
18.9
16.9%
0.5%
388,081

2011
Female
100%
15.8%
1.4
0.9
0.8
4.0
6.4
2.4
36.2%
6.1
10.5
2.2
14.2
3.2
34.2%
12.7
21.5
13.1%
0.8%
54,030

Male
100%
31.5%
2.4
0.8
6.3
8.3
11.2
2.4
26.4%
12.6
5.3
1.7
3.1
3.7
23.9%
7.2
16.7
17.4%
0.7%
351,326

Female
100%
18.4%
1.7
1.1
1.0
4.9
6.9
2.8
36.0%
8.0
10.6
1.5
11.7
4.1
32.5%
11.7
20.8
12.0%
1.1%
47,383

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and missing
offense data. Admission totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense distribution based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See
Methodology. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
bIncludes drug trafficking.
cIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
dIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

8

In 2001, 34% of male readmissions to state prison and 47% of
female readmissions were sentenced drug offenders returning
on parole violations (table 7). These proportions declined
to 26% of males and 33% of females in 2011. For both males

and females, the proportion of readmissions to state prison
for drug possession offenders increased in 2006 and then
decreased in 2011 to levels comparable to those in 2001.

Table 7
Estimated parole violation admissions to state prison, by sex and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offensea
Total
Violent
Murderb
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugc
Public orderd
Other/unspecifiede
Number of parole violation admissions

1991
Male
100%
24.5%
1.8
0.5
3.9
11.9
5.6
0.7
42.2%
21.7
10.9
4.3
3.4
1.9
24.7%
6.6
18.1
6.3%
2.3%
132,288

2001
Female
100%
14.0%
1.1
0.5
0.3
7.5
4.0
0.6
45.2%
9.2
20.9
1.5
12.5
1.1
35.8%
11.3
24.5
3.3%
1.7%
9,812

Male
100%
25.0%
1.3
0.4
3.7
9.6
8.3
1.8
32.2%
13.4
8.3
4.1
2.7
3.6
34.1%
8.9
25.2
8.2%
0.5%
197,537

2006
Female
100%
11.6%
0.7
0.3
0.3
4.9
3.9
1.5
36.0%
7.6
14.5
2.2
9.2
2.6
46.6%
11.6
35.0
5.2%
0.5%
17,807

Male
100%
25.2%
1.2
0.4
4.2
7.7
9.5
2.1
32.6%
12.7
7.0
5.5
3.4
4.0
31.0%
9.4
21.6
10.7%
0.6%
218,488

2011
Female
100%
12.3%
0.5
0.5
0.6
4.0
4.6
2.2
40.8%
8.4
11.5
4.8
12.1
4.0
39.5%
13.1
26.4
6.7%
0.8%
20,797

Male
100%
28.4%
1.2
0.3
5.1
8.7
10.8
2.2
31.6%
13.4
6.2
4.9
2.8
4.3
25.7%
8.5
17.2
13.5%
0.8%
184,513

Female
100%
14.6%
0.4
0.3
0.8
5.0
6.4
1.7
42.5%
9.9
10.8
4.5
11.6
5.7
33.2%
11.6
21.6
8.7%
1.0%
15,968

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year returned to state prison on all conditional release violations for either violations of conditions of release, or for
new crimes. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and missing offense data. Admission totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense distribution based on
National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See Methodology. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aFor parole violation admissions, most serious offense refers to the original offense for which an inmate was sentenced, not the incident causing the parole revocation.
bIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
cIncludes drug trafficking.
dIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
eIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

9

Among new court commitments to state prison, more
than a third each of black and Hispanic offenders, and a
quarter of white offenders were convicted of a violent
offense
In 2011, 34% of non-Hispanic black offenders (54,000
admissions) and 36% of Hispanic offenders (25,000
admissions) entering state prison on new court commitments

had committed violent offenses (table 8). For black offenders,
this represented an increase over 1991, 2001, and 2006, when
less than 30% of new admissions were for violent crimes.
New court commitments for non-Hispanic white offenders
convicted of violent crimes represented 25% (37,000 offenders)
of all new admissions of white offenders in 2011.

Table 8
Estimated new court commitments to state prison, by race, Hispanic origin, and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
1991a
Most serious offense
White
Black
Total
100%
100%
Violent
26.7%
28.7%
Murderd
2.5
2.9
Negligent manslaughter
1.8
1.1
Rape/sexual assault
8.6
3.1
Robbery
5.7
13.2
Assault
6.4
7.4
Other violent
1.8
1.1
Property
40.8%
26.4%
Burglary
17.7
11.4
Larceny
9.6
7.0
Motor vehicle theft
3.1
2.1
Fraud
6.0
3.1
Other property
4.4
2.7
Drug
19.3%
38.5%
Possession
5.3
11.2
Other druge
14.0
27.3
Public orderf
11.4%
5.4%
Other/unspecifiedg
1.8%
1.0%
Number of new court commitments 149,488 146,833

Whitec
100%
27.7%
1.9
1.1
8.9
4.8
8.5
2.5
34.1%
13.1
7.6
2.3
6.5
4.5
23.1%
8.5
14.6
15.1%
0.6%
133,442

2001b
Blackc Hispanic
100%
100%
28.8% 34.1%
2.8
3.3
0.7
0.9
3.7
6.9
10.5
8.2
9.1
11.9
2.0
2.9
24.2% 19.9%
9.0
8.3
6.7
4.0
1.8
3.1
4.3
1.7
2.5
2.8
36.8% 36.4%
10.6
8.1
26.2
28.2
10.2%
9.7%
0.3%
0.7%
143,775 63,992

Whitec
100%
23.9%
1.3
0.9
7.0
3.9
8.3
2.6
33.3%
11.9
7.6
2.6
6.9
4.4
23.8%
9.4
14.4
19.0%
0.7%
162,084

2006b
Blackc
100%
29.0%
2.3
0.5
3.7
9.9
10.3
2.3
22.7%
8.8
5.9
1.4
4.2
2.3
35.0%
11.3
23.7
13.4%
0.4%
173,614

Hispanic
100%
32.2%
2.5
0.8
6.4
7.4
12.0
3.1
22.8%
9.1
4.2
4.5
2.4
2.6
29.5%
10.9
18.6
15.5%
0.4%
77,274

Whitec
100%
25.3%
1.4
0.9
6.7
4.5
9.2
2.6
33.5%
13.9
7.4
1.9
5.2
5.1
23.1%
8.2
15.0
18.0%
1.1%
146,054

2011b
Blackc
100%
34.4%
2.8
0.6
3.7
12.5
12.2
2.5
24.6%
12.3
5.2
1.0
3.6
2.5
24.3%
7.4
16.9
16.7%
0.7%
156,661

Hispanic
100%
35.7%
3.2
0.7
7.0
8.1
13.5
3.2
21.2%
10.5
4.0
2.3
2.0
2.3
25.5%
9.5
16.0
17.6%
0.4%
69,728

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding, missing
offense data, and racial categories not shown. Admission totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense distribution based on National Corrections Reporting
Program administrative data. See Methodology. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aRace and Hispanic origin data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 1991 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. See Methodology.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget published guidelines on the collection and reporting of Hispanic origin in 1997 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/
fedreg_1997standards/) and few states collected ethnicity data in 1991. Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are included in the White and Black categories.
bRace and Hispanic origin data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. See Methodology.
cExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin and persons of two or more races.
dIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
eIncludes drug trafficking.
fIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
gIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011; and Survey of Inmates in
State Correctional Facilities, 1991 and 2004.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

10

A third of whites imprisoned for new offenses in 2011 were
convicted for property offenses (49,000), compared to 25% of
blacks (38,600) and 21% of Hispanics (15,000). In 1991, 38%
of all blacks admitted to state prison were serving time for new
drug offenses. In 2011, only 24% of all blacks were admitted
for drug crimes.
Blacks accounted for 47% of new court commitments for
violent offenses in 2011, compared to 44% in 2006 and 41%
in 2001. Less than a third of inmates newly committed to
state prison for violent offenses in 2011 were white (32%),
down from 37% in 2001. The racial and Hispanic origin of
new admissions for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter
between 2001 and 2011 showed a decrease among whites
(from 29% in 2001 to 24% in 2011), and increases among
blacks (from 46% in 2001 to 51% in 2011) and Hispanics (from

24% in 2001 to 26% in 2011). Among newly sentenced drug
offenders, blacks showed a large decline, from 49% of all new
court commitment admissions for drug crimes in 2001 to 42%
in 2011. In comparison, whites increased from 29% of newly
admitted drug offenders in 2001 to 38% in 2011.
The number and proportion of parole violation admissions for
drug offenders of all racial groups or Hispanic origin decreased
between 2001 and 2011 (table 9), with an estimated 11,400
fewer readmissions of blacks (down 30%), 5,400 fewer whites
(down 25%), and 5,200 fewer Hispanics (down 36%) in 2011.
The number of parole violations by drug offenders other than
possession among blacks decreased 92% (down 10,500).

Table 9
Estimated parole violation admissions to state prison, by race, Hispanic origin, and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offensec
Total
Violent
Murdere
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugf
Public orderg
Other/unspecifiedh
Number of parole violation admissions

1991a
White
Black
100%
100%
20.6%
25.0%
1.4
1.7
0.6
0.4
5.0
2.7
7.4
14.3
5.2
5.3
0.9
0.5
49.1%
36.6%
22.5
17.6
13.1
11.0
5.3
3.5
6.3
3.2
1.9
1.3
17.5%
33.2%
7.0
8.4
10.6
24.7
9.2%
3.5%
3.6%
1.8%
59,155
70,003

Whited
100%
20.9%
0.8
0.3
4.5
5.1
8.2
2.0
40.2%
15.0
10.2
5.4
4.9
4.8
29.0%
12.9
16.1
9.3%
0.6%
73,971

2001b
Blackd
100%
24.2%
1.5
0.2
2.8
11.2
7.0
1.5
27.4%
11.0
9.0
2.7
2.4
2.4
42.0%
8.0
34.0
6.0%
0.4%
89,464

Hispanic
100%
25.6%
1.3
0.3
2.8
8.7
10.3
2.2
28.8%
11.2
7.8
5.3
1.5
3.0
36.0%
8.7
27.3
9.0%
0.5%
39,788

Whited
100%
21.1%
0.6
0.5
4.6
4.2
8.8
2.3
39.9%
14.3
8.3
6.4
5.6
5.3
26.9%
12.3
14.6
11.5%
0.6%
82,329

2006b
Blackd
100%
25.2%
1.4
0.3
3.4
10.1
8.0
1.9
27.2%
10.8
7.7
3.0
3.2
2.6
39.3%
7.9
31.4
7.8%
0.5%
99,323

Hispanic
100%
25.9%
1.0
0.3
3.4
6.4
12.3
2.5
31.3%
10.5
6.1
8.5
2.4
3.7
30.2%
10.9
19.3
12.3%
0.4%
44,152

Whited
100%
22.8%
0.7
0.4
5.5
4.8
9.3
2.1
39.3%
14.9
7.8
5.8
4.9
5.9
23.4%
10.2
13.2
13.6%
1.0%
68,784

2011b
Blackd
100%
30.0%
1.4
0.2
4.4
11.9
9.9
2.2
25.9%
11.8
6.3
2.6
2.2
3.0
31.4%
7.5
23.9
11.9%
0.9%
83,342

Hispanic
100%
30.2%
1.2
0.3
3.9
8.1
14.1
2.7
29.7%
11.1
5.7
7.3
1.9
3.8
24.6%
10.0
14.6
15.1%
0.4%
37,078

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a conditional release violation, either for a release condition violation or for a new
crime. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding, missing offense data, and racial categories not shown. Admission totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense
distribution based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See Methodology. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in
methodology.
aRace data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 1991 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. See Methodology. The U.S. Office of
Management and Budget published guidelines on the collection and reporting of Hispanic origin in 1997 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_1997standards/) and few
states collected ethnicity data in 1991. Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are included in the White and Black categories.
bRace and Hispanic origin data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. See Methodology.
cMost serious offense refers to the original offense for which an inmate was sentenced, not the incident causing the parole revocation.
dExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin and persons of two or more races.
eIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
fIncludes drug trafficking.
gIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
hIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011; and Survey of Inmates in
State Correctional Facilities, 1991 and 2004.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

11

Since 1991, the proportion of newly admitted violent
offenders receiving prison sentences of less than 5 years
has increased
The proportion of all new court commitments with sentences
of less than 20 years was relatively stable across the 20-year
period from 1991 to 2011—93% in 1991 and 2001, 92% in
2006, and 94% in 2011 (table 10). In 1991, 10% of all persons
admitted on new convictions were sentenced to more than
1 year but less than 2 years in state prison. This increased to
14% in 2001, 2006, and 2011. The percentage of persons newly
convicted for violent crimes and sentenced for less than 5 years
increased from 37% in 1991 to 42% in 2001 and 44% in 2011.
In 1991, 64% of offenders sentenced for drug offenses received
less than 5 years, compared to 60% in 2001. In 2011, 69% of
newly convicted violent offenders, 85% of drug offenders, and
88% of property offenders were sentenced to less than 10 years
in prison.

In general, sentences for violent offenses were longer than
for other types of crime. From 1991 to 2011, between 14%
and 16% of prisoners admitted to state prison on new court
commitments for violent offenses were sentenced to 20 years or
more (including life or death sentences). A smaller proportion
of violent offenders received sentences of life or death in 2011
(4.5%) than in 1991 (5.7%) or 2001 (4.9%), but the increased
number of new court commitments for violent crimes in 2011
resulted in a greater number of convicted violent offenders
with life or death sentences. Both the number (down 1,030)
and percentage (down 84%) of inmates sentenced to life or
death for drug offenses decreased between 1991 and 2011.

Table 10
Distribution of maximum sentence length for new court commitments to state prison, by most serious offense,
1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offense and maximum sentence lengtha
All new admissions
Less than 2 yearsb
2–4 years
5–9 years
10–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100 years or more
Life/deathc
Number of new court commitment admissions
Violent
Less than 2 yearsb
2–4 years
5–9 years
10–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100 years or more
Life/deathc
Number of new court commitment admissions
Property
Less than 2 yearsb
2–4 years
5–9 years
10–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100 years or more
Life/deathc
Number of new court commitment admissions

1991
100%
9.9%
48.1
23.8
11.4
4.5
0.2
0.0
2.1
317,237
100%
3.8%
33.3
26.8
20.2
9.6
0.6
-5.7
91,004
100%
11.2%
54.6
22.8
9.4
1.8
--0.2
99,690

2001
100%
13.5%
45.2
24.3
9.9
3.7
0.4
1.4
1.6
365,229
100%
6.8%
35.3
24.9
17.3
8.3
1.0
1.5
4.9
107,493
100%
15.6%
50.2
22.3
8.4
1.9
0.1
1.4
0.1
100,090

2006
100%
13.7%
43.8
22.2
12.1
3.6
0.4
2.8
1.4
442,111
100%
7.2%
35.7
24.5
17.2
7.8
1.1
1.9
4.7
120,579
100%
18.3%
46.6
19.8
10.2
1.7
0.1
3.1
0.2
118,993

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

2011
100%
13.7%
43.5
24.4
12.3
4.1
0.4
0.1
1.5
398,709
100%
7.4%
36.1
25.0
17.2
8.4
1.1
0.2
4.5
119,500
100%
18.8%
45.8
23.1
10.2
1.9
0.1
-0.2
109,836
Continued on the next page

12

TABLE 10 (continued)
Distribution of maximum sentence length for new court commitments to state prison, by most serious offense,
1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offense and maximum sentence lengtha
Drug
Less than 2 yearsb
2–4 years
5–9 years
10–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100 years or more
Life/deathc
Number of new court commitment admissions
Public orderd
Less than 2 yearsb
2–4 years
5–9 years
10–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100 years or more
Life/deathc
Number of new court commitment admissions
Other/unspecifiede
Less than 2 yearsb
2–4 years
5–9 years
10–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100 years or more
Life/deathc
Number of new court commitment admissions

1991
100%
10.8%
53.0
24.2
7.2
3.4
--1.3
94,837
100%
20.6%
57.8
16.5
3.9
0.9
0.1
-0.3
28,079
100%
23.7%
51.4
16.1
7.1
1.4
--0.2
3,627

2001
100%
12.7%
47.5
26.6
8.5
2.9
0.1
1.0
0.7
111,241
100%
18.0%
51.0
22.8
5.5
1.1
0.1
1.3
0.1
44,348
100%
10.0%
36.6
27.9
17.9
6.6
0.5
0.4
0.2
2,057

2006
100%
14.4%
45.5
22.9
11.2
2.5
0.1
3.2
0.1
127,505
100%
16.0%
50.4
20.9
7.8
1.3
0.2
3.3
0.2
72,589
100%
7.2%
43.1
28.5
17.2
3.1
0.3
0.1
0.6
2,445

2011
100%
15.1%
44.5
25.5
11.8
2.7
0.1
-0.2
99,401
100%
15.1%
51.9
23.6
7.3
1.8
0.1
-0.2
66,944
100%
7.1%
42.7
32.0
14.9
2.9
0.3
0.1
0.1
3,029

Note: Counts are based on state prisoners admitted on a new court commitment with a sentence of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of state correctional officials. Detail
may not sum to total due to rounding, missing offense and missing sentence length data. Admission totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense and sentence
length distributions based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. Analysis based on new court commitment admissions with known sentence
lengths reported to NCRP. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
--Less than 0.05%.
aMaximum sentence length refers to the greatest amount of time an inmate is eligible to serve. It does not measure actual time served in prison.
bIncludes prisoners sentenced to more than 1 year but less than 2 years.
cIncludes prisoners sentenced to life, life without parole, life plus additional years, and death.
dIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
eIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

13

Violent offenders’ longer sentences contribute to their
increased proportion in the yearend prison population
The proportion of new court commitment and parole violation
admissions for violent offenses is consistently smaller than the
proportion of violent offenders in the prison population on

December 31 of each year (table 11). This indicates that violent
offenders are sentenced to, and are likely serving, relatively
longer time in prison than inmates convicted of other types
of crime.

Table 11
Estimated sentenced state prisoners on December 31, by most serious offense and type of admission, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offensea
Total
Violent
Murderb
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugc
Public orderd
Other/unspecifiede
Number of sentenced prisoners

1991
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
47.5%
26.8%
12.2
2.8
2.3
0.8
9.0
3.1
14.3
11.1
7.9
7.6
1.8
1.5
23.8%
34.6%
10.8
14.1
5.3
8.5
1.7
2.9
3.6
6.0
2.3
3.2
22.0%
29.3%
7.4
13.2
14.5
16.1
6.3%
8.9%
0.5%
0.4%
626,694
106,222

2001
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
54.4%
35.4%
13.6
4.7
1.6
0.5
12.7
5.2
13.3
15.1
10.3
7.8
2.9
2.0
18.4%
29.9%
9.4
14.4
3.4
6.4
1.1
2.8
2.3
3.2
2.3
3.1
19.8%
26.8%
4.3
6.1
15.5
20.7
6.9%
7.4%
0.5%
0.6%
980,728
218,573

2006
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
54.4%
36.0%
13.1
4.8
1.6
0.5
13.3
6.2
13.1
14.0
10.4
8.3
2.9
2.0
17.2%
29.0%
8.5
14.3
3.0
5.0
1.2
3.2
2.4
3.5
2.2
2.9
18.4%
25.3%
4.7
7.2
13.7
18.1
9.5%
9.1%
0.5%
0.6%
1,065,662
254,988

2011
New court
Parole
commitment violationa
100%
100%
55.6%
39.6%
13.5
6.0
1.6
0.5
13.3
6.0
13.5
15.6
10.8
9.3
2.9
2.2
17.3%
27.3%
9.2
14.5
3.0
4.4
0.9
2.5
2.1
2.8
2.1
3.0
15.8%
21.4%
3.7
6.0
12.0
15.4
10.8%
10.8%
0.5%
0.9%
1,131,210
200,966

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment or on a conditional release violation, either for a
release condition violation or for a new crime. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and missing offense data. Counts of sentenced prisoners admitted on new
court commitments are based on the sentenced prisoner totals from the National Prisoner Statistics Program, and the ratio of new court commitments to parole violation
admissions in the National Corrections Reporting Program yearend population. Offense distribution based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See
Methodology. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aFor parole violation admissions, most serious offense refers to the original offense for which an inmate was sentenced, not the incident causing the parole revocation.
bIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
cIncludes drug trafficking.
dIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
eIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

14

From 1991 to 2011, violent offenses accounted for 27% to 30%
of new court commitments with sentences of more than 1 year
(figures 2 to 5). However, within the yearend populations
for these years, inmates who were newly admitted for violent
offenses represented 47% to 56% of the total state prison
population. In contrast, property offenses made up 31% of
new court commitments with sentences of more than 1 year

in 1991, 27% in 2001 and 2006, and 28% in 2011, compared
to between 17% and 24% of inmates originally admitted for
property crimes in the prison population on December 31 of
each year. Although these property offenders were sentenced
to more than 1 year in prison, not all of them were serving a
full year.

Figure 2
Violent offenders admitted to state prison and in the yearend prison population, by type of admission, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Total admissions

New court commitment admissions

Parole violation admissions

Percent

Percent

Percent

60

60

60

Yearend prison population

50

50

40

40

30

30
Total prison admissions

20

Yearend new court commitment population

0

1991

2001

2006

2011

30
New court commitment admissions

20

0

Yearend parole violation population

40

10

10

50

20

Parole violation admissions

10
1991

2001

2006

2011

0

1991

2001

2006

2011

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment or conditional release violation.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

Figure 3
Property offenders admitted to state prison and in the yearend prison population, by type of admission, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Total admissions

New court commitment admissions

Parole violation admissions

Percent

Percent

Percent

60

60

60

50

50

50

40

40
Total prison admissions

30
20

30
20

Yearend prison population

10
0

40
New court commitment admissions

1991

2001

2006

2011

10
0

Parole violation admissions

30
Yearend parole violation population

20
Yearend new court commitment population

1991

2001

2006

2011

10
0

1991

2001

2006

2011

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment or conditional release violation.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

15

Time served on parole violation admissions tends to be less
than time served on new court commitments. This is reflected
in the comparison of these admissions to the proportion of
parole violators serving time on December 31 of the 4 years
examined. The differences in the proportions of admissions
and the yearend prison population were smaller than those
observed for new court commitments across all offense
categories, suggesting that inmates move through their
confinement more quickly than offenders serving time on new
court commitments for similar crimes. The only exception to

this pattern occurred between 1991 and 2001 for admissions of
public order and drug offense admissions of parole violators.
In both cases, the proportion of parole violation admissions
was less than that of parole violators in the yearend state
prison population.
New admissions for violent offenses showed slight growth
between 1991 and 2011, while the total share of violent
offenders in the yearend prison population and among inmates
readmitted on parole violations increased between 2001
and 2011.

Figure 4
Drug offenders admitted to state prison and in the yearend prison population, by type of admission, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Total admissions

New court commitment admissions

Parole violation admissions

Percent

Percent

Percent

60

60

60

50

50

50

40

40
Total prison admissions

30

30
20

20
Yearend prison population

10
0

New court commitment admissions

1991

2001

2006

2011

Parole violation admissions

30
20

Yearend new court commitment population

10
0

40

1991

2001

2006

2011

Yearend parole violation population

10
0

1991

2001

2006

2011

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment or conditional release violation.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

Figure 5
Public order offenders admitted to state prison and in the yearend prison population, by type of admission,1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Total admissions

New court commitment admissions

Parole violation admissions

Percent

Percent

Percent

60

60

60

50

50

50

40

40

40

30

30

20

Total prison admissions

20

Yearend prison population
1991

2001

2006

2011

0

20

Parole violation admissions

10

10

10
0

30
New court commitment admissions

Yearend new court commitment population
1991

2001

2006

2011

0

1991

Yearend parole violation population
2001
2006
2011

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year admitted to state prison on a new court commitment or conditional release violation.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

16

State prisons released almost 24,900 more inmates than
they admitted in 2011
State prisons admitted more offenders than they released in
1991, 2001, and 2006 (table 12). In 2011, there were about
24,900 more releases than admissions, and 59% of this
difference was due to 14,600 more releases than admissions
of drug offenders. Murder was the only offense for which
admissions always outnumbered releases, while larceny had
higher counts of releases except in 1991.
In 2011, conditional releases of violent offenders increased
for inmates of all races and Hispanic origin, representing a
quarter of whites and a third each of blacks and Hispanics
released during 2011 (table 13). Black and Hispanic inmates
convicted of violent crimes had the highest proportion of
conditional releases across all offenses in 2011, in contrast to
2001 and 2006, when drug offenders were the most commonly
released inmates among blacks and Hispanics. White inmates
serving prison terms for property crimes had the highest
number of conditional releases from 1991 to 2011, although
this proportion declined over time concurrent with an
increase in the number of releases of white violent and public
order offenders.

Table 12
Estimated releases from state prison, by most serious offense,
1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Murdera
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Other drugb
Public orderc
Other/unspecifiedd
Number of releases

1991
100%
24.1%
1.8
0.9
4.1
10.4
6.0
1.0
37.5%
17.2
10.3
2.7
4.3
3.0
27.9%
7.0
21.0
8.6%
1.9%
419,831

2001
100%
25.7%
1.5
0.7
4.5
8.7
8.3
1.9
30.1%
12.1
7.7
2.8
4.1
3.6
33.7%
8.8
24.9
10.0%
0.5%
590,256

2006
100%
25.0%
1.3
0.6
4.4
7.2
9.3
2.2
30.0%
11.1
6.9
3.5
4.8
3.7
30.9%
10.0
20.9
13.5%
0.6%
661,954

2011
100%
27.9%
1.4
0.7
5.3
7.8
10.3
2.4
29.4%
12.0
6.1
3.1
3.9
4.2
26.7%
8.5
18.3
15.0%
1.0%
635,833

Note: Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year released from
state prison. Excludes transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL).
Detail may not sum to total due to rounding and missing offense data. Release totals
from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense distribution based on National
Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. See Methodology. Estimates
may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
bIncludes drug trafficking.
cIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions;
commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and
other public order offenses.
dIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and
National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

17

Table 13
Estimated conditional releases from state prison, by race, Hispanic origin, and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
Most serious offensec

1991a

White
Total
100%
Violent
20.6%
Murdere
1.3
Negligent manslaughter
1.0
Rape/sexual assault
5.5
Robbery
6.5
Assault
5.2
Other violent
1.1
Property
44.6%
Burglary
20.1
Larceny
11.6
Motor vehicle theft
3.6
Fraud
6.4
Other property
2.9
Drug
20.3%
Possession
6.5
Other drugf
13.8
Public orderg
11.3%
Other/unspecifiedh
3.2%
Number of conditional releases 158,346

Black
100%
24.2%
1.5
0.6
2.4
13.4
5.6
0.7
32.5%
14.8
9.8
2.4
3.3
2.1
37.4%
10.1
27.2
4.4%
1.5%
167,073

Whited
100%
22.1%
0.9
0.7
5.6
4.7
8.0
2.3
37.3%
14.3
9.0
3.9
5.7
4.4
28.5%
11.4
17.2
11.4%
0.6%
148,599

2001b
Blackd
100%
25.0%
1.8
0.4
2.6
11.0
7.6
1.6
25.6%
9.9
7.8
2.2
3.2
2.4
42.1%
8.7
33.4
6.9%
0.4%
160,113

Hispanic
100%
26.3%
1.4
0.4
3.9
8.2
10.1
2.3
23.9%
9.7
6.0
4.2
1.3
2.7
40.6%
9.0
31.5
8.8%
0.5%
87,329

2006b
Blackd
100%
100%
21.3%
26.3%
0.7
1.6
0.7
0.4
4.9
2.9
4.0
10.2
8.4
9.1
2.4
2.1
35.8%
25.4%
13.0
10.1
7.7
6.8
4.5
2.3
6.1
3.7
4.5
2.5
28.7%
38.9%
11.8
9.5
17.0
29.3
13.5%
9.0%
0.7%
0.5%
169,716 182,866
Whited

Hispanic
100%
26.6%
1.2
0.5
3.8
6.4
11.9
2.8
28.0%
9.8
5.3
7.2
2.4
3.3
32.5%
11.5
21.0
12.4%
0.5%
99,739

Whited
100%
25.5%
1.0
0.9
6.3
5.0
9.8
2.5
33.9%
13.3
7.0
3.6
4.9
5.1
24.0%
9.5
14.5
15.2%
1.4%
161,482

2011b
Blackd
100%
33.5%
2.0
0.6
4.0
13.2
11.4
2.4
23.0%
11.1
5.2
1.8
2.5
2.4
30.1%
8.6
21.5
12.3%
1.1%
173,994

Hispanic
100%
33.1%
1.6
0.6
5.3
8.4
14.0
3.2
24.8%
10.6
4.6
4.6
2.0
2.9
25.7%
10.2
15.5
16.0%
0.4%
94,900

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year released from state prison to probation, supervised mandatory releases, and other unspecified conditional
releases. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding, missing offense data, and racial categories not shown. Release totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense
distribution based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aRace data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 1991 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget
published guidelines on the collection and reporting of Hispanic origin in 1997 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_1997standards/) and few states collected ethnicity
data in 1991. Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are included in the White and Black categories. See Methodology.
bRace and Hispanic origin data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. See Methodology.
cMost serious offense refers to the original offense for which an inmate was sentenced, not the incident causing the parole revocation.
dExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin and persons of two or more races.
eIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
fIncludes drug trafficking.
gIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
hIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011; and Survey of Inmates in
State Correctional Facilities, 1991 and 2004.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

18

Admissions to California state prisons declined 65% from 2011 to 2012, while
releases decreased 57%
During 2012, the first full year in which the California
Public Safety Realignment (PSR) policy was implemented,
both admissions to and releases from California state
prisons decreased significantly. Between 2011 and 2012,
total admissions to prisons in California declined 65%, from
96,700 admissions in 2011 to 34,300 in 2012 (table 14). The
number of admissions in 2012 represented a 76% decrease
from 2008, the year in which California admitted the most
people to prison (140,800 admissions). (See Prisoners in
2011, NCJ 239808, BJS web, December 2012).

PSR was written to divert new admissions of nonviolent,
nonserious, and nonsex offenders to local jail facilities
starting on October 1, 2011.1 Individuals convicted of
serious, violent, or sex offenses continued to be admitted to
state prison. In 2012, 48% of all admissions were for violent
offenses (an increase from 31% in 2010 and 32% in 2011),
and 14% of all admissions in 2012 were for drug offenses (a
decrease from 25% in 2010). The proportion of admissions
for property crimes declined by 10% over the period from
2010 to 2012, although admissions for public order offenses,
which include weapons and habitual offender violations,
increased in 2012.
1Offenses

as specified in the Public Safety Realignment Act.

Continued on the next page

Table 14
California state prison admissions, by type of admission and most serious offense, 2010, 2011, and 2012
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Murderb
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug offenses
Possession
Trafficking
Other drug
Public orderc
Other/unspecifiedd
Number of admissions

2010
Total
Parole
New court
admissions violatorsa commitments
100%
100%
100%
30.8%
29.3%
33.3%
1.8
0.8
3.6
0.5
0.3
0.7
5.6
6.1
4.8
6.5
6.0
7.4
13.3
13.3
13.3
3.0
2.7
3.6
32.6%
34.2%
29.7%
11.1
11.0
11.1
7.9
8.2
7.3
7.0
8.4
4.3
2.7
2.4
3.3
4.0
4.2
3.6
24.7%
25.2%
23.9%
7.4
8.0
6.5
12.5
11.8
13.8
4.8
5.4
3.6
11.6%
11.0%
12.6%
0.3%
0.3%
0.4%
118,943
77,422
41,521

2011
Total
Parole
New court
admissions violatorsa commitments
100%
100%
100%
32.3%
29.2%
36.9%
2.2
0.8
4.2
0.5
0.3
0.7
5.4
5.3
5.5
7.0
6.3
8.2
14.0
13.8
14.4
3.2
2.7
3.9
31.8%
34.5%
27.6%
11.6
11.6
11.6
7.1
7.9
5.9
6.6
8.3
4.1
2.5
2.3
2.7
4.0
4.4
3.4
23.1%
24.0%
21.8%
7.1
7.8
6.0
11.6
11.0
12.7
4.4
5.1
3.2
12.5%
12.1%
13.2%
0.3%
0.3%
0.4%
96,669
60,293
36,376

2012
Total
Parole
New court
admissions violatorsa commitments
100%
100%
100%
48.1%
33.0%
52.6%
4.9
2.0
5.8
0.9
0.3
1.0
5.9
1.8
7.1
11.4
8.8
12.1
20.2
16.1
21.4
4.9
4.0
5.1
22.8%
28.0%
21.2%
12.3
12.5
12.3
3.5
5.3
3.0
3.2
5.6
2.5
1.2
1.5
1.1
2.5
3.2
2.3
13.5%
20.7%
11.3%
5.2
9.3
3.9
5.8
6.6
5.6
2.5
4.7
1.9
15.5%
18.1%
14.7%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
34,294
8,017
26,277

Note: Analysis based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data, which may vary slightly from National Prisoner Statistics Program data due
to differences in data collection. Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Counts exclude transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave
(AWOL). Totals include other conditional release violators, returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. See Methodology.
aIncludes all conditional release violators returned to prison for either violations of conditions of release or for new crimes.
bIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
cIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and
other public order offenses.
dIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Corrections Reporting Program, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

19

Between 2011 and 2012, the proportions of all admissions
that were parole violations and new court commitments
were reversed. In 2011, 62% of all admissions to California
state prisons were parole violations, compared to 23% in
2012. New court commitments increased from 38% of all
admissions in 2011 to 77% in 2012. In 2012, 33% of parole
violation admissions to prisons and 53% of prisoners newly
committed were violent offenders.

The number of inmates released from California prisons
also declined in 2012, but at a slower rate than the decrease
in admissions. In 2012, there were 47,500 releases from
California prisons, 57% fewer than in 2011 when there were
109,500 releases (table 15). In 2012, 37% of all releases were
of violent offenders, compared to 29% in 2010. Prisoners
convicted of aggravated assault and robbery accounted for
the majority of the increase in released prisoners. While
violent offenders accounted for 29% of conditional releases
in 2010, this proportion had increased to 67% in 2012.
Continued on the next page

Table 15
California state prison releases, by type of release and most serious offense, 2010, 2011, and 2012
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Murderc
Negligent manslaughter
Rape/sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property
Drug
Possession
Trafficking
Other drug
Public orderd
Other/unspecifiede
Number of releases

2010
Total
Unconditional Conditional
releases releasesa
releasesb
100%
100%
100%
29.0%
40.3%
28.7%
1.2
2.3
1.1
0.5
0.6
0.5
5.3
9.3
5.2
6.1
7.9
6.1
13.0
16.0
12.9
2.9
4.1
2.9
32.8%
24.6%
33.0%
10.7
8.6
10.8
8.0
6.0
8.0
7.1
4.6
7.2
2.8
2.3
2.8
4.1
3.0
4.1
26.5%
23.0%
26.6%
7.6
7.5
7.6
13.7
10.3
13.8
5.2
5.3
5.2
11.4%
11.6%
11.5%
0.3%
0.5%
0.3%
121,918
1,728
119,941

2011
Total
Unconditional Conditional
releases releasesa
releasesb
100%
100%
100%
30.7%
16.7%
32.5%
1.4
0.3
1.4
0.5
0.3
0.5
5.4
2.4
5.8
6.7
2.1
7.4
13.6
9.4
14.2
3.1
2.1
3.2
32.4%
36.8%
31.8%
11.2
10.6
11.2
7.7
9.3
7.5
6.9
8.3
6.7
2.7
3.9
2.5
4.0
4.7
3.9
24.8%
32.5%
23.7%
7.0
9.2
6.8
13.3
17.7
12.7
4.5
5.6
4.3
11.9%
13.8%
11.6%
0.3%
0.3%
0.3%
109,467
13,676
95,541

2012
Total
Unconditional
releases releasesa
100%
100%
36.9%
18.2%
2.4
0.2
0.6
0.3
5.2
1.3
9.0
1.7
16.1
12.6
3.6
2.0
27.8%
33.3%
11.6
9.6
5.7
8.5
5.2
7.8
2.2
3.5
3.0
3.9
21.9%
32.6%
5.1
7.6
13.9
20.6
2.9
4.3
13.2%
15.7%
0.3%
0.3%
47,454
29,485

Conditional
releasesb
100%
66.8%
5.4
1.1
11.3
20.8
22.0
6.2
19.1%
15.1
1.1
1.1
0.3
1.5
4.6%
0.9
3.2
0.6
9.2%
0.2%
17,756

Note: Analysis based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data, which may vary slightly from National Prisoner Statistics Program data due
to differences in data collection. Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Counts exclude transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave
(AWOL). Totals include deaths, releases to appeal or bond, and other releases. See Methodology.
aIncludes expirations of sentence, communtations, and other unconditional releases.
bIncludes releases to probation, supervised mandatory releases, and other unspecified conditional releases.
cIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
dIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and
other public order offenses.
eIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Corrections Reporting Program, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

20

Similar to the pattern of admission types, unconditional
releases accounted for less than 2% of total releases in 2010
and 12% in 2011, compared to 62% in 2012. In 2012, 37% of
prisoners were released with post custody conditions, down
from 98% in 2010. Drug and property offenses accounted
for 33% each of all unconditional releases in 2012. While
the percentage of violent offenders unconditionally released
from California state prisons decreased from 40% in
2010 to 18% in 2012, the increase in the total number of
unconditional releases in 2012 resulted in a net increase
of violent offenders with this type of prison release, from
670 offenders in 2010 to 5,400 offenders in 2012.
Released prisoners in California are returned to the county
in which they were originally sentenced. While this does
not guarantee that a former prisoner will continue to
live in the same county, it provides a proxy measure to
identify the counties most immediately influenced by state
prison releases. In 2012, 30% of all inmates released from
California state prisons (14,800 persons) were returned to
Los Angeles County, followed by San Bernardino (4,400

inmates or 9.1% of all releases) and San Diego counties
(3,500 or 7.3% of all releases) (table 16). Almost two-thirds
of inmates released from prison to these three counties
had no conditions placed on their release. Only four
counties (Alameda, Colusa, Inyo, and Trinity) received
more conditional releases from state prison than inmates
released unconditionally.
While Los Angeles County received the largest number of
inmates released from state prisons in 2012, when compared
to the general population of each county, Los Angeles had
a prison release rate of 14.9 per 10,000 county residents.
Eighteen counties with smaller general populations had
higher rates of prison release in their communities. Kings
County (population 150,800) received 507 prison releases,
but had a rate of 33.6 releases per 10,000 residents. After
Kings County, Yuba (29.0 releases per 10,000 residents),
Tehama (28.8 releases per 10,000 residents), and Shasta
(24.4 releases per 10,000 residents) counties had the highest
rates of released prisoners.

Table 16
California state prison releases, by type of release and county of sentencing, 2012
Countyc
Total
Alameda
Alpine
Amador
Butte
Calaveras
Colusa
Contra Costa
Del Norte
El Dorado
Fresno
Glenn
Humboldt
Imperial
Inyo
Kern
Kings
Lake
Lassen
Los Angeles
Madera
Marin
Mariposa
Mendocino
Merced
Modoc
Mono
Monterey
Napa
Nevada
Orange

All releases
Percent of total
Count
state releases
48,621
100%
1,117
2.3%
0
0.0
65
0.1
438
0.9
53
0.1
31
0.1
462
1.0
38
0.1
136
0.3
1,739
3.6
41
0.1
229
0.5
144
0.3
18
0.0
1,889
3.9
507
1.0
127
0.3
33
0.1
14,817
30.5
210
0.4
85
0.2
20
0.0
97
0.2
302
0.6
7
0.0
4
0.0
522
1.1
142
0.3
47
0.1
2,870
5.9

Unconditional releasesa
Percent of total
Count county releases
29,920
~
488
43.7%
0
/
53
81.5
299
68.3
35
66.0
13
41.9
232
50.2
22
57.9
80
58.8
1,117
64.2
23
56.1
155
67.7
92
63.9
6
33.3
1,322
70.0
337
66.5
77
60.6
27
81.8
9,300
62.8
136
64.8
47
55.3
15
75.0
53
54.6
172
57.0
4
57.1
2
50.0
292
55.9
72
50.7
30
63.8
1,701
59.3

Conditional releasesb
Percent of total
Count county releases
18,346
~
622
55.7%
0
/
12
18.5
133
30.4
18
34.0
18
58.1
227
49.1
15
39.5
53
39.0
613
35.3
16
39.0
73
31.9
51
35.4
11
61.1
560
29.6
169
33.3
47
37.0
6
18.2
5,398
36.4
74
35.2
36
42.4
5
25.0
44
45.4
130
43.0
3
42.9
2
50.0
228
43.7
70
49.3
16
34.0
1,152
40.1

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

County general population
Total,
Release rate per
July 1, 2012d 10,000 residentse
37,826,160
12.9
1,540,790
7.2
1,127
/
36,899
17.6
221,118
19.8
45,045
11.8
21,614
14.3
1,069,803
4.3
28,359
13.4
180,599
7.5
946,823
18.4
28,208
14.5
134,923
17.0
178,659
8.1
18,637
9.7
855,522
22.1
150,843
33.6
64,394
19.7
33,650
9.8
9,911,665
14.9
151,790
13.8
254,882
3.3
17,817
11.2
88,566
11.0
261,708
11.5
9,518
7.4
14,258
2.8
422,868
12.3
138,577
10.2
98,202
4.8
3,071,933
9.3
Continued on the next page

21

TABLE 16 (continued)
California state prison releases, by type of release and county of sentencing, 2012
Countyc
Placer
Plumas
Riverside
Sacramento
San Benito
San Bernardino
San Diego
San Francisco
San Joaquin
San Luis Obispo
San Mateo
Santa Barbara
Santa Clara
Santa Cruz
Shasta
Sierra
Siskiyou
Solano
Sonoma
Stanislaus
Sutter
Tehama
Trinity
Tulare
Tuolumne
Ventura
Yolo
Yuba

All releases
Percent of total
Count
state releases
285
0.6
25
0.1
2,942
6.1
1,887
3.9
61
0.1
4,402
9.1
3,528
7.3
474
1.0
1,076
2.2
254
0.5
519
1.1
548
1.1
1,536
3.2
144
0.3
436
0.9
7
0.0
76
0.2
502
1.0
369
0.8
870
1.8
174
0.4
183
0.4
8
0.0
746
1.5
77
0.2
692
1.4
398
0.8
212
0.4

Unconditional releasesa
Percent of total
Count county releases
191
67.0
16
64.0
1,828
62.1
1,089
57.7
38
62.3
2,785
63.3
2,182
61.8
260
54.9
618
57.4
148
58.3
305
58.8
335
61.1
825
53.7
77
53.5
310
71.1
4
57.1
46
60.5
327
65.1
220
59.6
589
67.7
102
58.6
136
74.3
2
25.0
437
58.6
43
55.8
399
57.7
281
70.6
125
59.0

Conditional releasesb
Percent of total
Count county releases
92
32.3
9
36.0
1,087
36.9
778
41.2
23
37.7
1,594
36.2
1,318
37.4
207
43.7
452
42.0
104
40.9
213
41.0
212
38.7
691
45.0
67
46.5
121
27.8
3
42.9
27
35.5
175
34.9
146
39.6
277
31.8
72
41.4
46
25.1
5
62.5
303
40.6
32
41.6
288
41.6
115
28.9
87
41.0

County general population
Total,
Release rate per
July 1, 2012d 10,000 residentse
360,680
7.9
19,523
12.8
2,244,399
13.1
1,439,874
13.1
56,527
10.8
2,065,016
21.3
3,147,220
11.2
820,349
5.8
699,003
15.4
271,021
9.4
736,362
7.0
427,358
12.8
1,828,597
8.4
267,569
5.4
178,477
24.4
3,089
22.7
44,598
17.0
415,913
12.1
489,283
7.5
522,651
16.6
95,351
18.2
63,623
28.8
13,470
5.9
451,627
16.5
54,339
14.2
834,109
8.3
204,314
19.5
73,021
29.0

Note: Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Counts exclude transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals include
deaths, releases to appeal or bond, and other releases. See Methodology. Analysis based on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data, which may
vary slightly from National Prisoner Statistics Program data due to differences in data collection and missing data.
~ Not applicable.
/ Not calculated.
aCounty in which inmate was originally sentenced. In California, inmates are released to the county in which they were sentenced.
bIncludes expirations of sentence, communtations, and other unconditional releases.
cIncludes releases to probation, supervised mandatory releases, and other unspecified conditional releases.
dPreliminary county population counts for July 1, 2012 obtained from State of California, Department of Finance, E-2. California County Population Estimates and
Components of Change by Year—July 1, 2010–2012, December 2012.
ePrison release rate per 10,000 California county residents of all ages.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Corrections Reporting Program, 2010, 2011, and 2012, and Department of Finance, State of California.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

22

The 2012 yearend U.S. sentenced prison population
declined 1.8%, driven by a decrease in the number of state
prisoners

43% of the sentenced U.S. prison population in 2012. Texas,
California, and Florida accounted for 30% of the sentenced
state prison population in 2012.

A total of 27,400 fewer prisoners were sentenced to more than
1 year in state and federal prisons at yearend 2012, than at
yearend 2011, a decrease of almost 2% (table 17). The federal
prison system had the largest sentenced prison population
(196,600 prisoners) of any jurisdiction in 2012, followed by
Texas (157,900 inmates), California (134,200 inmates), Florida
(101,900 inmates), and New York (54,100 inmates). With
the federal population, these five jurisdictions accounted for

California (down 10%) had the largest percentage decrease
in prison population, followed by Arkansas (down 9%),
Wisconsin and Colorado (down 7% each). The prison
populations in New Hampshire (up 7%) and North Dakota
(up 6%) led the 24 jurisdictions with sentenced population
increases in 2012. Females comprised almost 7% of the state
prison population and 6% of the federal system in 2012.

Table 17
Sentenced state and federal prisoners, by sex, December 31, 2011 and 2012
Jurisdiction
U.S. Total
Federala
State
Alabama
Alaskab
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticutb
Delawareb
Florida
Georgia
Hawaiib
Idaho
Illinoisc
Indiana
Iowad
Kansasd
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevadac
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islandb
South Carolina

Total
1,538,847
197,050
1,341,797
31,271
2,894
38,370
16,037
149,025
21,978
12,549
4,003
103,055
53,955
3,910
7,739
48,427
28,890
9,057
9,327
20,952
39,709
1,952
22,252
10,316
42,904
9,800
20,585
30,829
3,678
4,511
12,639
2,614
23,834
6,855
55,262
35,102
1,423
50,964
24,024
14,459
51,390
2,065
22,233

2011
Males
1,435,141
184,901
1,250,240
28,823
2,616
35,098
14,938
140,972
19,957
11,865
3,815
95,913
50,211
3,527
6,854
45,562
26,391
8,336
8,647
18,575
37,325
1,810
21,301
9,822
40,995
9,156
19,115
28,254
3,274
4,159
11,672
2,444
22,762
6,230
52,973
33,030
1,276
47,061
21,693
13,343
48,657
1,984
20,940

Females
103,706
12,149
91,557
2,448
278
3,272
1,099
8,053
2,021
684
188
7,142
3,744
383
885
2,865
2,499
721
680
2,377
2,384
142
951
494
1,909
644
1,470
2,575
404
352
967
170
1,072
625
2,289
2,072
147
3,903
2,331
1,116
2,733
81
1,293

Total
1,511,480
196,574
1,314,906
31,437
2,974
38,402
14,615
134,211
20,462
11,961
4,129
101,930
53,990
3,819
7,985
49,348
28,822
8,686
9,398
21,466
40,170
1,932
21,281
9,999
43,594
9,938
21,426
31,244
3,609
4,594
12,744
2,790
23,225
6,574
54,073
34,983
1,512
50,876
24,830
14,801
50,918
1,999
21,725

2012
Males
1,410,191
184,258
1,225,933
28,915
2,690
35,065
13,567
128,180
18,739
11,314
3,913
94,945
50,510
3,439
6,977
46,599
26,256
7,917
8,724
18,919
37,781
1,797
20,410
9,567
41,605
9,228
19,884
28,541
3,210
4,255
11,706
2,583
22,164
5,954
51,846
32,846
1,341
47,008
22,369
13,574
48,219
1,916
20,485

Females
101,289
12,316
88,973
2,522
284
3,337
1,048
6,031
1,723
647
216
6,985
3,480
380
1,008
2,749
2,566
769
674
2,547
2,389
135
871
432
1,989
710
1,542
2,703
399
339
1,038
207
1,061
620
2,227
2,137
171
3,868
2,461
1,227
2,699
83
1,240

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

Total
-1.8%
-0.2%
-2.0%
0.5
2.8
0.1
-8.9
-9.9
-6.9
-4.7
3.1
-1.1
0.1
-2.3
3.2
1.9
-0.2
-4.1
0.8
2.5
1.2
-1.0
-4.4
-3.1
1.6
1.4
4.1
1.3
-1.9
1.8
0.8
6.7
-2.6
-4.1
-2.2
-0.3
6.3
-0.2
3.4
2.4
-0.9
-3.2
-2.3

Percent change, 2011–2012
Males
Females
-1.7%
-2.3%
-0.3%
1.4%
-1.9%
-2.8%
0.3
3.0
2.8
2.2
-0.1
2.0
-9.2
-4.6
-9.1
-25.1
-6.1
-14.7
-4.6
-5.4
2.6
14.9
-1.0
-2.2
0.6
-7.1
-2.5
-0.8
1.8
13.9
2.3
-4.0
-0.5
2.7
-5.0
6.7
0.9
-0.9
1.9
7.2
1.2
0.2
-0.7
-4.9
-4.2
-8.4
-2.6
-12.6
1.5
4.2
0.8
10.2
4.0
4.9
1.0
5.0
-2.0
-1.2
2.3
-3.7
0.3
7.3
5.7
21.8
-2.6
-1.0
-4.4
-0.8
-2.1
-2.7
-0.6
3.1
5.1
16.3
-0.1
-0.9
3.1
5.6
1.7
9.9
-0.9
-1.2
-3.4
2.5
-2.2
-4.1
Continued on the next page

23

TABLE 17 (Continued)
Sentenced state and federal prisoners, by sex, December 31, 2011 and 2012
Jurisdiction
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermontb
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Total
3,530
28,479
163,552
6,877
1,598
38,130
17,808
6,803
21,998
2,183

2011
Males
3,092
26,070
151,343
6,264
1,496
35,321
16,420
6,056
20,858
1,944

Females
438
2,409
12,209
613
102
2,809
1,388
747
1,140
239

Total
3,644
28,411
157,900
6,960
1,516
37,044
17,254
7,027
20,474
2,204

2012
Males
3,221
26,048
146,292
6,321
1,443
34,150
15,920
6,235
19,379
1,966

Females
423
2,363
11,608
639
73
2,894
1,334
792
1,095
238

Total
3.2
-0.2
-3.5
1.2
-5.1
-2.8
-3.1
3.3
-6.9
1.0

Percent change, 2011–2012
Males
Females
4.2
-3.4
-0.1
-1.9
-3.3
-4.9
0.9
4.2
-3.5
-28.4
-3.3
3.0
-3.0
-3.9
3.0
6.0
-7.1
-3.9
1.1
-0.4

Note: Jurisdiction refers to the legal authority of state or federal correctional officials over a prisoner, regardless of where the prisoner is held. Counts are based on prisoners
with sentences of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional officials. As of December 31, 2001, sentenced felons from the District of Columbia are
the responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
aIncludes inmates held in nonsecure privately operated community corrections facilities and juveniles held in contract facilities.
bPrisons and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison populations.
cState did not submit 2012 National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program data, so population estimates for 2012 are imputed. See Methodology for discussion of imputation
strategy.
dChange in reporting methods. See National Prisoner Statistics Program jurisdiction notes.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2011–2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

24

Imprisonment rates continued to decline for most race,
ethnicity, sex, and age groups
Compared to age-, sex-, and race-specific imprisonment rates
in 2011, rates in 2012 remained the same or decreased for
all but Hispanic males ages 60 to 64, which increased from
685 per 100,000 U.S. residents to 687 per 100,000 residents
(table 18) (see Prisoners in 2011, NCJ 239808, BJS web,
December 2012).
Male and female white prisoners of all age groups had lower
imprisonment rates than male and female black and Hispanic
prisoners. Overall, black males were 6 times and Hispanic
males 2.5 times more likely to be imprisoned than white males
in 2012. Hispanic males ages 18 to 19 were more than 3 times
as likely as white males of the same age to be imprisoned, while
all other age groups were at least twice as likely as white males
to be serving a prison sentence. Black males had imprisonment
rates at least 4 times those of white males in all age groups. The
rates for black males age 39 or younger were more than 6 times
greater than white males of the same age. Male inmates ages
18 to 19 had the largest imprisonment rate disparity between
whites and blacks. Black males in this age group were almost
9.5 times more likely than white males to be in prison.

Almost 1% of all male residents in the United States were
imprisoned at yearend 2012. A total of 2.8% of black, 0.5%
of white, and 1.2% of Hispanic males were in state or federal
prison on December 31, 2012. Among black males, this
represents a decline from the rate in 2011 (3%). Between 4%
and 7% of black males ages 20 to 49 were prison inmates. Black
males ages 30 to 34 had the highest incarceration rate (6,932
prisoners per 100,000 black male U.S. residents ages 30 to 34).
This age group also had the highest imprisonment rates among
white and Hispanic males in 2012.
Among female prisoners in 2012, black females ages 18 to 19
were 3 times more likely to be imprisoned than white females.
Hispanic females in this age group had imprisonment rates
nearly twice those of white females. White and Hispanic
females approached parity imprisonment rates among
prisoners ages 35 to 44. Hispanic females age 65 or older
were more than twice as likely as white females of this age to
be serving time in prison, the age group of greatest disparity.
Black and white female imprisonment rates were closest
among prisoners ages 25 to 39, when black females were less
than twice as likely as white females to be imprisoned.

Table 18
Imprisonment rate of sentenced state and federal prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age,
December 31, 2012
Age group
Totalc
18–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–39
40–44
45–49
50–54
55–59
60–64
65 or older

Totala
480
228
805
1,113
1,198
1,060
902
772
539
326
193
66

All malea
909
428
1,476
2,032
2,213
1,975
1,682
1,451
1,031
636
386
146

Whiteb
463
148
654
998
1,098
992
927
814
581
360
238
99

Males
Blackb
2,841
1,393
4,284
6,138
6,932
6,258
5,148
4,433
3,219
2,016
1,144
423

Hispanic
1,158
485
1,726
2,412
2,594
2,338
1,986
1,731
1,352
983
687
280

Othera,b
972
417
1,480
2,245
2,304
2,042
1,623
1,458
1,144
689
456
193

All femalea
63
18
100
166
175
149
130
107
65
34
16
4

Whiteb
49
11
78
138
147
128
108
82
49
24
12
3

Females
Blackb
115
35
163
263
287
251
230
204
128
71
32
6

Hispanic
64
22
101
165
163
130
113
97
66
42
22
7

Othera,b
90
14
141
242
237
165
148
130
100
52
16
8

Note: Counts based on prisoners with sentences of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional officials. Imprisonment rate is the number of
prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction with a sentence of more than 1 year per 100,000 U.S. residents of corresponding sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Resident population
estimates are from the U.S. Census Bureau for January 1 of the following year. Illinois and Nevada did not submit 2012 data to the National Prisoner Statistics Program, so their
jurisdiction counts are imputed. See Methodology.
aIncludes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, and persons identifying two or more races.
bExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino orgin.
cIncludes persons age 17 or younger.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2012; Federal Justice Statistics Program, 2012; National Corrections Reporting Program, 2011; and
Survey of Inmates in State and Local Correctional Facilities, 2004.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

25

Other select findings
„„

In 2012, the number of prisoners released increased in
27 states (appendix table 1).

„„

Blacks accounted for 40% of all unconditional releases from
state prison in 2001, 2006, and 2011 (appendix table 2).

„„

Inmates under age 45 accounted for 80% of federal and state
prison admissions in 2012, compared to 72% of the yearend
prison population in 2012, and 77% of released prisoners
(appendix tables 3–5).

„„

The total U.S. prison population declined for the third
consecutive year in 2012, to 1,570,400 prisoners on
December 31, 2012 (appendix table 6).

„„

The proportion of the U.S. prison population housed in
private prisons increased from 8.2% in 2011 to 8.7% in 2012
(appendix table 7).

„„

A total of 137,200 inmates were in the custody of private
prisons at yearend 2012, a 5% increase over the 131,000
inmates in 2011.

„„

The number of prison inmates housed in local jail facilities
on December 31, 2012 (83,600 inmates) was 2% higher than
at yearend 2011.

„„

In 2012, the number of inmates held in local jails increased
in 16 states.

„„

Four states housed more than 25% of their prison
populations in local jails on December 31, 2012: Louisiana
(52%), Kentucky (38%), Tennessee (30%), and Mississippi
(29%).

„„

U.S. prisons held 9,900 fewer persons identified as
noncitizens in 2012, compared to 102,800 noncitizen
inmates in 2011 (appendix table 8). Because state and
federal departments of corrections have varying definitions
of noncitizen, readers should exercise caution when
interpreting these results.

„„

State prisons held 1,300 inmates under age 18 in custody on
December 31, 2012.

„„

Based on their reported custody counts, 18 states and the
BOP were operating prison systems above 100% of their
maximum reported facility capacity (appendix table 9).

„„

The number of prisoners serving a sentence for violent
offenses in federal prison in 2012 (11,700 inmates)
decreased 21% from 2011 (14,900 inmates) (appendix table
10).

„„

Drug offenders accounted for 50% of the male federal prison
population and 58% of the female federal prison population
in 2012 (appendix table 11).

„„

On December 31, 2012, 12% of prisoners in the federal
prison system were serving time for immigration offenses
and 15% had been convicted of weapons offenses.

National Prisoner Statistics Program jurisdiction notes
Alabama—Prisons have not recently been rated for official
capacity, but the majority of Alabama prisons are operating
in a state of overcrowding. Currently, there are 26,339 beds in
operation; this represents the physical capacity for inmates but
is not based on staffing, programs, and services. Operational
capacity differs from the BJS definition.

Arkansas—Jurisdiction counts of prisoners held in local jails
include county jail back-up and inmates participating in the
Act 309 Program, which provides additional space for the
care and custody of state inmates on a temporary basis in
state-certified adult detention facilities operated by counties
and cities.

Alaska—Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All
NPS data include jail and prison populations housed in state
and out of state. Jurisdictional totals include individuals in
electronic and special monitoring programs who are under the
jurisdiction of the state of Alaska. All capacity measures are the
same as in 2011. The count of Asian inmates includes Pacific
Islanders. Alaska does not report type of admission or release.
Total admissions and releases include Alaskan reported values,
but state and national totals by type of admission and release
do not.

California—Population counts for inmates with maximum
sentences of more than 1 year include felons who are
temporarily absent, such as in court, in jail, or in a hospital.
The majority of temporarily absent inmates are absent for
fewer than 30 days. Population counts for unsentenced inmates
include civil addicts who are enrolled for treatment and are
not serving a criminal conviction sentence, but are under the
jurisdiction of the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation. In addition, the counts of unsentenced inmates
include persons housed in out-of-state contract facilities.
California is unable to differentiate between inmates held
in federal facilities and those held in other states’ facilities.
Changes in design capacity are based on information from an
annual facilities planning and management report.

Arizona—Jurisdiction counts are based on custody data and
inmates in contracted beds. The “other admissions” category
includes four males and one female who were mistakenly
released and readmitted during 2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

26

Colorado—Population counts include a small, undetermined
number of inmates with a maximum sentence of 1 year or less.
Admission and release data for inmates who are absent without
leave (AWOL) or who have escaped are estimated. Design and
operational capacities do not include the privately run facilities
in Colorado.
Connecticut—Prisons and jails form one integrated system.
All NPS data include jail and prison populations. New
court commitment admissions include inmates admitted in
2012 on accused status, but who received a sentence later
in 2012. Legislation in July 1995 abolished the capacity law.
A facility’s capacity is a fluid number based on the needs of
the department. The needs are dictated by security issues,
populations, court decrees, legal mandates, staffing, and
physical plant areas of facilities that are serving other purposes
or have been decommissioned. The actual capacity of a facility
is subject to change.
Delaware—Prisons and jails form one integrated system.
All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Capacity
counts include the halfway houses under the Department
of Corrections.
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)—Data reflect inmates
under BOP jurisdiction on December 30, 2012. Jurisdiction
counts include inmates housed in secure private facilities
where the BOP had a direct contract with a private operator,
as well as inmates housed in secure facilities where there was
a subcontract with a private provider at a local government
facility. Jurisdiction counts also include inmates housed in
jail or short-term detention and others held in state-operated
or other nonfederal secure facilities. Counts include 8,932
inmates (7,798 males and 1,134 females) held in nonsecure,
privately operated community corrections centers/halfway
houses and 2,659 offenders on home confinement (2,278 males
and 381 females). A total of 99 male and 6 female juveniles
were held in contract facilities; these inmates were included
in the jurisdiction totals but excluded from the counts of
private, locally operated, or federally operated facilities. Due
to information system configuration, Asians and Native
Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders are combined, and
inmates of Hispanic origin are included in the race categories.
On December 30, 2012, BOP held 71,714 male and 4,378
female inmates of Hispanic origin. Other admissions include
hospitalization and treatment. Parole violation counts combine
those with and without a new sentence. Expirations of sentence
include good-conduct releases that usually have a separate
and distinct term of supervision, as well as releases from the
residential drug abuse treatment program. Other releases
include vacated sentences, completion of hospitalization
or treatment, and court-ordered terminations. The BOP
population on December 30, 2012, was 176,658 inmates
(excluding contracted and private facilities), and the rated
capacity on that date was 128,615. The crowding rate was 37%.
Florida—Other conditional releases include provisional release
supervision, conditional medical release, program supervision,
and parole reinstatement.

Georgia—Females are not housed in privately operated
correctional facilities in Georgia. Subtotals of race, sex, and
sentence length for jurisdiction and custody counts were
adjusted by the Georgia Department of Corrections using
interpolation to match the overall totals.
Hawaii—Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All
NPS data include jail and prison populations. In custody
and jurisdiction counts, sentenced felon probationers and
probation violators are included with the counts of prisoners
with a total maximum sentence of 1 year or less. Jurisdiction
counts include dual-jurisdiction (state of Hawaii or federal)
inmates currently housed in federal facilities and in contracted
beds. Hawaii does not have a rated capacity for the integrated
prisons and jail system. Information on foreign nationals held
in correctional facilities was based on self-reports by inmates.
Idaho—Idaho defines rated capacity as 100% of maximum
capacity and operational capacity as 95% of maximum
capacity. Design capacity is based on original facilitydesigned occupancy.
Illinois—Illinois did not submit NPS data in 2012.
See Methodology for a description of the data
imputation procedure.
Iowa—In 2009, the Iowa Department of Corrections began
including offenders on work release, the Operating While
Intoxicated population, and Iowa inmates housed in out-ofstate prisons and in jurisdiction counts. Iowa data included
in BJS reports prior to 2009 were custody counts only.
Jurisdiction counts include Iowa offenders housed in prisons
in other jurisdictions who are under Iowa’s jurisdiction. The
data quality and collection methodology were updated in 2012;
therefore, changes from previous years’ counts may reflect
these updates. Absent without leave (AWOL) admissions and
releases are for the work release and the Operating While
Intoxicated population. Escape admissions and releases are for
the prison population only; this differs from the 2011 counts,
which included escapes from work release.
Kansas—Jurisdiction counts of inmates with sentences of less
than 1 year are available for 2012, but not for 2011. Admissions
and releases reflect movements of the custody population with
the exception of transfers, which include all Kansas prisoners
regardless of custody status.
Kentucky—The decrease in the number of unconditional
releases between 2011 and 2012 is due to the implementation
of a mandatory reentry supervision law, which became
effective on January 1, 2012.
Louisiana—Jurisdiction and capacity counts are correct as of
December 27, 2012.
Maine—Fewer male state prisoners are housed in county
facilities due to overcrowding at the local level. The state has
been adding capacity and double-bunking at prisons.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

27

Maryland—The number of inmates with maximum sentences
of more than 1 year is estimated by taking the percentages for
these prisoners from the automated totals and applying them
to the manual totals submitted for NPS. The number of male
inmates included in the jurisdiction count of prisoners held
in other state facilities may include a small number of female
inmates. Maryland’s system does not capture Hispanic origin.
An undetermined number of Native Hawaiians and other
Pacific Islanders may be included in the count of American
Indian/Alaska Natives. Maryland’s system does not distinguish
between AWOL and escape releases, nor does it record the sex
of inmates housed in out-of-state private prisons. The count of
admissions by new court commitments may include a small
but undetermined number of returns from appeal or bond. The
count of unconditional releases includes court-ordered releases
and a small but undetermined number of releases to appeal or
bond. Other release types include interstate compact releases
and releases of new admissions that were counted twice.
Massachusetts—By law, offenders in Massachusetts may be
sentenced to terms of up to 2.5 years in locally operated jails
and correctional institutions. This population is excluded
from the state count, but is included in published population
counts and rates for local jails and correctional institutions.
Jurisdiction counts exclude approximately 3,271 inmates in
the county system (local jails and houses of correction) who
are serving a sentence of more than 1 year, but these inmates
are included in imprisonment rate calculations at the request
of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Jurisdiction
and custody counts may include a small but undetermined
number of inmates who were remanded to court; transferred
to the custody of another state, federal, or locally operated
system; or subsequently released. Due to the opening of a
new correctional facility for females, the admissions, releases,
and custody population of county-sentenced females serving
under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections has
decreased. After legislative changes to reduce discretionary
parole releases in 2011 that caused fluctuations in the number
and rate of persons released on parole, these measures
remained stable during 2012. This has resulted in an apparently
higher parole rate in 2012 than in 2011 for both males and
females. In 2012, 261 inmates received unconditional court
releases due to falsification of drug tests by one of the chemists
in the state drug lab.
Michigan—Operational capacity includes institution and
camp net operating capacities, as well as the population of
community programs on December 31, 2012. Michigan’s new
database system treats Hispanic as an ethnicity rather than a
race. Because this is currently an optional field, the numbers
for Hispanics are significantly underreported, and the state
included them in the white race category. Escape releases and
admissions consist predominantly of zero-tolerance escapes
from community residential programs.
Minnesota—Jurisdiction counts include inmates temporarily
housed in local jails, on work release, or on community work
crew programs. Minnesota only measures operational capacity.

Admissions and releases due to AWOL or escape, returns from
or releases to appeal or bond, and releases due to transfer are
not included in Minnesota’s database file.
Mississippi—Custody counts exclude county regional facilities,
while jurisdiction counts include these facilities. Local jails and
county regional facilities are included in the jurisdiction count
of inmates housed at local facilities. Parole and conditional
release violators are not distinguished by their sentence status
in the Mississippi file.
Missouri—The Missouri Department of Corrections does
not have the design capacity of its older prisons, nor does it
update design capacity for prison extension or improvements.
Missouri does not use a rated capacity. The state defines
operational capacity as the number of available beds, including
those temporarily offline. Noncitizen data are based on selfreported place of birth.
Nebraska—By statute, inmates are housed where they are
sentenced by the judge and are never housed in local jails or
by another state to ease prison crowding. Nebraska defines
operational capacity as its stress capacity, which is 125% of
design capacity for designated facilities. The total design
and operational capacity for institutions that house females
includes only one multicustody facility. The department
operates two co-ed facilities that represent a design capacity
of 290, and that are counted in the male design and
operational capacities.
Nevada—Nevada did not submit NPS data in
2012. See Methodology for a description of the data
imputation procedure.
New Hampshire—The new offender database management
system reports the number of inmates who are under New
Hampshire’s jurisdiction but housed in other state facilities
in a different manner from NPS submissions prior to 2010.
New Hampshire’s operating capacity is defined as the inmate
population on any given day.
New Jersey—Population counts for inmates with a maximum
sentence of more than 1 year include inmates with sentences
of 1 year. The New Jersey Department of Corrections has no
jurisdiction over inmates with sentences of less than 1 year
or over unsentenced inmates. Reporting of other conditional
release admissions has changed from 2011 to better reflect
the sentence status of inmates. Other releases include inmates
brought too soon from the county jails into the state prison
system, then released back to the county jails. New Jersey has
recently undertaken a review of its prison system capacity,
resulting in updated counts in 2012.
New Mexico—New Mexico does not include its inmates
housed in other states under the interstate compact agreement
in its total jurisdiction count. According to BJS definitions,
these inmates should be included in the total state jurisdiction,
and were in this report.

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North Carolina—As of December 1, 2011, North Carolina
prisons no longer house misdemeanor offenders with
sentences of less than 180 days. Rated capacity is not available.
Captured escapees are not considered a prison admission
type in North Carolina, and escape is not considered a type of
prison release. Supervised mandatory releases are postrelease
offenders. Postrelease supervision is defined as a reintegration
program for serious offenders who have served extensive
prison terms. This form of supervision was created by the
Structured Sentencing Act of 1993.
North Dakota—Capacities include a new facility that
opened in 1998 and account for double bunking in the
state penitentiary.
Ohio—Population counts for inmates with a maximum
sentence of more than 1 year include an undetermined number
of inmates with a sentence of 1 year or less. Counts of inmates
who are under Ohio’s jurisdiction but housed in federal or
other state facilities are estimates. Counts of admission and
release types reflect revised reporting methods. Admissions of
parole violators without a new sentence include only formally
revoked violators. Returns and conditional releases involving
transitional control inmates are reported only after movement
from confinement to a terminal release status occurs.
Oklahoma—Jurisdiction counts exclude inmates from other
states who were serving time in Oklahoma prisons under the
interstate compact and inmates sentenced to the Department
of Corrections but not yet in custody. Jurisdiction counts
include offenders in a Department of Corrections jail program,
those in court, and escapees in the custody of local jails. Most
inmates with sentences of less than 1 year were part of the
Oklahoma Delayed Sentencing Program for Young Adults.
Offenders in the custody of other states and the BOP are
mostly escapees. Capacity counts have changed in Oklahoma,
as only Department of Corrections facilities have an approved
capacity determined by the Board of Corrections according
to the standards of the American Correctional Association.
Noncitizen status is determined by country of birth.
Oregon—Most offenders with a maximum sentence of less
than 1 year remain under the custody of local counties rather
than the Oregon Department of Corrections. Oregon does not
recognize rated capacity.
Pennsylvania—All Pennsylvania inmates housed in
Virginia were brought back to serve time in Pennsylvania in
March 2012.
Rhode Island—Prisons and jails form one integrated system.
All NPS data include jail and prison populations. Jurisdiction
counts include inmates who have dual jurisdiction, or those
serving Rhode Island sentences out of state while serving that
state’s sentence as well. The Rhode Island data system records
Hispanic as a race rather than an ethnicity and does not
capture Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders or persons
identifying as two or more races. Prison admissions classified
as escape returns include admissions under home confinement,
serving out of state, and minimum-security facilities.

South Carolina—The December 31, 2012, custody count
of unsentenced individuals includes Interstate Compact
Commission inmates. As of July 1, 2003, the South Carolina
Department of Corrections (SCDC) began releasing inmates
due for release and housed in SCDC institutions on the first
day of each month. Since January 1, 2013, was a holiday,
inmates eligible for release on January 1 were released on
December 31, 2012. Therefore, the inmate count was at
its lowest point for the month on December 31, 2012. All
inmates in private facilities in South Carolina were housed in
private medical facilities. Conditional release counts include
inmates released under community supervision after serving
85% of their sentence under truth in sentencing. The SCDC
has implemented new intensive supervision services, which
are designed to promote community safety and ensure the
successful reentry of young offenders back into the community.
South Carolina uses the operational capacity concept in its
management reports and other requested surveys.
South Dakota—Custody and jurisdiction counts of inmates
serving a maximum sentence of 1 year or less included
those under the sentence of probation who, as a condition
of probation, must serve up to 180 days in state prison. The
custody count of unsentenced inmates included all holds
for the U.S. Marshals Service (sentenced and unsentenced).
Commutations are not tracked separately in the South Dakota
reporting system; however, they are included in expiration of
sentence, supervised mandatory release, or other conditional
releases. South Dakota does not separate discretionary and
presumptive parole releases. The operational capacity reported
is planned capacity. South Dakota does not have rated or
design capacities.
Tennessee—The sex of six inmates could not be identified
and were counted as males in the jurisdiction counts. Eleven
inmates could not be assigned to a race category, including five
females and the six assigned male inmates.
Texas—Offenders in custody were all offenders serving time
in a facility owned and operated by the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice at the time of data collection. Jurisdiction
counts include offenders in custody and those held in privately
operated prisons, intermediate-sanction facilities, substance
abuse felony punishment facilities, pre-parole transfer facilities,
and halfway houses; offenders temporarily released to a county
for less than 30 days; and offenders awaiting paperwork for
transfer to state-funded custody. Capacities exclude county
jail beds because they do not have a minimum or maximum
number of beds available for paper-ready and bench-warrant
inmates. Admissions and releases include offenders received
into an intermediate-sanction facility, which is a sanction in
lieu of revocation. These offenders were counted in the parole
violator category.
Vermont—Prisons and jails form one integrated system. All
NPS data include jail and prison populations. Hispanic origin
and persons identifying as two or more races are not collected
or recorded in Vermont.

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Virginia—Jurisdiction counts were for December 31, 2012. As
of September 1, 1998, the state is responsible for inmates with
a sentence of 1 year or more, or a sentence of 12 months plus 1
day. The state was responsible for a 1-year sentence, while local
authorities were responsible for a 12-month sentence. Inmates
with a sentence of 12 months or less were not the responsibility
of the state. New court commitments are based on fiscal year
2012, while parole violation admissions and all releases are
based on calendar year 2012. The Virginia Department of
Corrections maintains a count of beds (called authorized
capacity) that is provided as the measure of rated capacity in
this survey. The number of beds assigned by rating officials
(Virginia Department of Corrections) to institutions takes into
account the number of inmates who can be accommodated
based on staff, programs, services, and design. Native
Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are included in the Asian
race category.
Washington—Offenders sentenced to 1 year or less and
unsentenced offenders generally reside in county jails, but
revisions to law allow certain inmates with sentences of less
than 1 year to be housed in prison. These inmates are included

in the total jurisdiction counts. Native Hawaiians and Pacific
Islanders are included in the Asian race category.
Wisconsin—Custody and jurisdiction counts include 722
temporary probation and parole placements. The jurisdiction
count excludes 27 male and 2 female prisoners because
they were not serving a Wisconsin sentence. In 2012, both
the female custody and jurisdiction populations increased,
probably due to more new court commitments and parole
violation admissions. Wisconsin does not code escapes as
releases and returns from the escape as admissions. In 2012, 19
males and 1 female were on escape status. Design capacities for
local jails and for federal, other state, and private facilities are
excluded from the total design capacity measure. The reported
design capacity includes the following facilities currently
housing Wisconsin adult inmates: a state juvenile facility with
a design capacity of 400, a non-Department of Corrections
facility with a design capacity of 362, and 29 beds contracted
in 20 Wisconsin county jails to temporarily house Department
of Corrections inmates. The number of contracted beds has
declined substantially from the 97 beds reported in 2011.

Terms and definitions
Adult imprisonment rate—The number of prisoners under
state or federal jurisdiction sentenced to more than 1 year per
100,000 U.S. residents age 18 or older.

Imprisonment rate—The number of prisoners under state or
federal jurisdiction sentenced to more than 1 year per 100,000
U.S. residents of all ages.

Average annual change—Average (mean) annual change
across a specific period.

Inmate—A person incarcerated in a local jail, state prison,
federal prison, or a private facility under contract to federal,
state, or local authorities.

Capacity, design—The number of inmates that planners or
architects intended for a facility.
Capacity, highest—The maximum number of beds reported
across the three capacity measures: design capacity, operational
capacity, and rated capacity.
Capacity, lowest—The minimum number of beds across the
three capacity measures: design capacity, operational capacity,
and rated capacity.
Capacity, operational—The number of inmates that can be
accommodated based on a facility’s staff, existing programs,
and services.
Capacity, rated—The number of beds or inmates assigned by a
rating official to institutions within a jurisdiction.
Conditional releases—Includes discretionary parole,
mandatory parole, postcustody probation, and other
unspecified conditional releases.
Conditional release violators—Readmission to prison
of persons released to discretionary parole, mandatory
parole, postcustody probation, and other unspecified
conditional releases.
Custody—Prisoners held in the physical custody of state or
federal prisons or local jails, regardless of sentence length or
authority having jurisdiction.

Jail—A confinement facility usually administered by a local
law enforcement agency that is intended for adults, but
sometimes holds juveniles, for confinement before and after
adjudication. Such facilities include jails and city or county
correctional centers; special jail facilities, such as medical
treatment or release centers; halfway houses; work farms; and
temporary holding or lockup facilities that are part of the
jail’s combined function. Inmates sentenced to jail facilities
usually have a sentence of 1 year or less. Alaska, Connecticut,
Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont operate
integrated systems, which combine prisons and jails.
Jurisdiction—The legal authority of state or federal
correctional officials over a prisoner, regardless of where the
prisoner is held.
New court commitments—Admissions into prison of
offenders convicted and sentenced by a court, usually to a term
of more than 1 year, including probation violators and persons
with a split sentence to incarceration followed by courtordered probation or parole.
Parole violators—All conditional release violators returned
to prison for either violating conditions of release or for
new crimes.

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30

Prison—A long-term confinement facility, run by a state or the
federal government, that typically holds felons and offenders
with sentences of more than 1 year. However, sentence length
may vary by state. Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii,
Rhode Island, and Vermont operate integrated systems, which
combine prisons and jails.
Prisoner—An individual confined in a correctional facility
under the legal authority (jurisdiction) of state or federal
correctional officials.

Sentenced prisoner—A prisoner sentenced to more than
1 year.
Supervised mandatory releases—Conditional release with
postcustody supervision generally occurring in jurisdictions
using determinate sentencing statutes.
Unconditional releases—Expirations of sentences,
commutations, and other unspecified unconditional releases.

Methodology
Started in 1926 under a mandate from Congress, the National
Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program collects annual data on
prisoners at yearend. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
sponsors the survey, and the U.S. Census Bureau serves as
the data collection agent. BJS depends entirely on voluntary
participation by state departments of corrections and the
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for NPS data.
The NPS distinguishes between inmates in custody and
prisoners under jurisdiction. To have custody of a prisoner, a
state or the BOP must hold that inmate in one of its facilities.
To have jurisdiction over a prisoner, the state or BOP must
have legal authority over that prisoner, regardless of where
the prisoner is incarcerated or supervised. Some states were
unable to provide counts that distinguish between custody
and jurisdiction. (See National Prisoner Statistics Program
jurisdiction notes to determine which states did not distinguish
between custody and jurisdiction counts.)
The NPS jurisdiction counts include persons held in prisons,
penitentiaries, correctional facilities, halfway houses, boot
camps, farms, training or treatment centers, and hospitals.
Counts also include prisoners who were temporarily absent
(less than 30 days), in court, or on work release; housed in
privately operated facilities, local jails, or other state or federal
facilities; and serving concurrent sentences for more than one
correctional authority.
The NPS custody counts include all inmates held within a
respondent’s facilities, including inmates housed for other
correctional facilities. The custody counts exclude inmates held
in local jails and in other jurisdictions. With a few exceptions,
the NPS custody counts include inmates held in privately
operated facilities.
Respondents to NPS surveys are permitted to update prior
counts of prisoners held in custody and under jurisdiction.
Some statistics on jurisdiction and sentenced prison
populations for prior years have been updated in this report.
All tables showing data based on jurisdiction counts, including
tables of imprisonment rates, were based on the updated and
most recently available data that respondents provided.
Admissions include new court commitments, parole violator
returns, and other conditional release violator returns;
transfers from other jurisdictions; returns of prisoners who
were absent without leave (AWOL), with or without a new

sentence; escape returns, with or without a new sentence;
returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. For
reporting purposes, BJS admission counts exclude transfers
from other jurisdictions, AWOL returns, and escape returns.
Releases include unconditional releases (e.g., expirations
of sentence or commutations), conditional releases
(e.g., probations, supervised mandatory releases, or
discretionary paroles), deaths, AWOLs, escapes from
confinement, transfers to other jurisdictions, releases to
appeal or bond, and other releases. For reporting purposes,
BJS release counts exclude AWOLs, escapes, and transfers to
other jurisdictions.
The NPS has historically included counts of inmates in
the combined jail/prison systems in Alaska, Connecticut,
Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The District
of Columbia has not operated a prison system since yearend
2001. Felons sentenced under the District of Columbia
criminal code are housed in federal facilities. Jail inmates in
the District of Columbia are included in the Annual Survey
of Jails. Some previously published prisoner counts and the
percentage change in population include jail inmates in the
District of Columbia for 2001, the last year of collection.
Additional information about the NPS, including the data
collection instrument, is available on the BJS website at
www.bjs.gov.
Nonreporting states
As of September 13, 2013, Illinois and Nevada had not
reported any 2012 custody, jurisdiction, admission, release, or
capacity data to the NPS. For both states, BJS compared past
NPS submissions with analogous counts reported on their
departments of corrections websites. If the ratio of past NPS
data to the website data from the same year was stable over 6
years, BJS assumed that the website data could be used in this
report. To generate estimates for Nevada, BJS used statistical
data published on the Nevada Department of Corrections
website (http://www.doc.nv.gov/sites/doc/files/pdf/
stats/2012/12/StatFacts122012.pdf) for total and sex-specific
custody, jurisdiction, admission and release counts, and a race
and Hispanic origin distribution of the custody population
as of December 31, 2012. BJS applied the 2011 proportion of
unsentenced prisoners and prisoners with sentences of 1 year

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31

or less or more than 1 year to the 2012 custody and jurisdiction
totals, which assumes that the distribution of sentence length
did not change between 2011 and 2012. BJS also assumed that
the proportion of the Nevada prison jurisdiction population
housed in local jails in 2012 was the same as that reported in
2011. Similarly, BJS used the 2011 distribution of admission
and release types to generate estimates from the 2012
admission and release totals. BJS used an estimate of operating
capacity from June 30, 2012 (http://www.doc.nv.gov/sites/
doc/files/pdf/stats/2012/12/SS_QRII_FY13.pdf). Estimates
of the custody counts for Nevada were compared with the
state’s submission of National Corrections Reporting Program
(NCRP) data.
November 30, 2012, is the date closest to December 31, 2012,
for which data were available on the Illinois Department
of Corrections website (http://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/
reportsandstatistics/Documents/IDOC_Quarterly%20
Report_Jan_%202013.pdf). Illinois has reported identical
custody and jurisdiction data to the NPS for the past 10 years;
therefore, BJS made the assumption that the 2012 custody and
jurisdiction counts would again be the same. BJS applied the
2011 distribution of sentence length (unsentenced, sentenced
to 1 year or less, sentenced to more than 1 year) to the 2012
counts. The 2011 race and Hispanic origin distribution from
Illinois was applied to the custody and jurisdiction total count
from November 30, 2012.
The 2011 distribution of admission and release types was
used to estimate the types of admissions and releases in 2012.
BJS obtained monthly counts of admissions and releases
from two quarterly reports (http://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/
reportsandstatistics/Documents/IDOC_Quarterly%20
Report_Apr_%202013.pdf and http://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/
reportsandstatistics/Documents/IDOC_Quarterly%20Report_
Jul%202012.pdf). Since these were not sex-specific counts, after
summing to obtain 2012 totals, BJS applied the 2011 sex ratios
for admissions and releases to the 2012 data, assuming that
the proportion of males and females entering or exiting prison
had not changed during 2012. Finally, BJS applied the 2011
sex-specific admission and release type distributions on the
2012 totals. Capacity counts were obtained from the April 2013
Illinois Department of Corrections quarterly report, and reflect
state prison capacity as of February 28, 2013.
The imputed counts were used to calculate overall state
and national totals of prisoners, and are footnoted in statespecific tables.
Estimating yearend counts of prison population,
admissions, and releases by age, sex, and race or
Hispanic origin
National-level estimates of the number of persons by race
admitted to, released from, or under the jurisdiction of state
prisons on December 31, 2012, were based on an adjustment of
NPS counts to comply with Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) definitions of race and Hispanic origin. OMB defines
persons of Hispanic or Latino origin as a separate category.
Race categories are defined exclusive of Hispanic origin. OMB
adopted guidelines for the collection of these data in 1997,
requiring the collection of data on Hispanic origin in addition
to data on race.
Not all NPS providers’ information systems categorize race and
Hispanic origin in this way; in 1991, the earliest time point in
the analysis, only a few states were able to report information
on Hispanics separately from race. BJS adjusts the NPS data on
race and Hispanic origin by the ratio of the relative distribution
of prisoners by race and Hispanic origin in self-report inmate
surveys that use OMB categories for race to the relative
distribution of prisoners by race and Hispanic origin in the
NPS data. This ratio was calculated for the year(s) in which BJS
had an inmate survey and NPS data. For this report, the 1991
Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities was used to
calculate the ratio used for statistics on racial distributions in
1991; however, because so few states reported Hispanic origin
in the 1991 NPS, BJS did not estimate statistics for Hispanics
in 1991. The 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional
Facilities was used for the 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2012 time
points. The ratio obtained by comparing the within-year
relative distributions by race and Hispanic origin was then
multiplied by the NPS distribution in a year to generate the
estimate of persons by race and Hispanic origin.
Estimates of the total number of sentenced prisoners,
admissions, and releases by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin
on December 31, 2012, were generated by creating separate
totals for federal and state prisons. For the federal estimates,
each sex-race count that BOP reported to the NPS was
multiplied by the ratio of the age category count within the
sex-race combination in the Federal Justice Statistics Program
(FJSP) to the FJSP total count within the sex-race combination
(e.g., FJSP white males ages 18 to 19 divided by FJSP white
males). The resulting product yielded the FJSP-adjusted NPS
counts for each sex-race combination by age group (e.g., white
male prisoners ages 18 to 19 in the federal prison system). State
prison age distributions for the NPS use a similar sex-race ratio
adjustment based on individual-level data from the NCRP.
State and federal estimates were added together to obtain
national estimates for prison admissions, prison releases, and
yearend prison populations.
Estimating imprisonment rates by age, sex, and race or
Hispanic origin
Age-specific imprisonment rates for each age-sex-race group
were calculated by dividing the estimated number of sentenced
prisoners within each age group under jurisdiction on
December 31, 2012, by the estimated number of U.S. residents
in each age group on January 1, 2013. The result was multiplied
by 100,000 and rounded to the nearest whole number. Totals by
sex include all prisoners and U.S. residents, regardless of race
or Hispanic origin.

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32

Estimating offense distribution in the state prison
population, admissions, and releases by age, sex, and race
or Hispanic origin
Total counts of admissions and releases excluded transfers,
escapees, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Parole
violation admissions included all conditional release violators
returned to prison for either violations of conditions or for new
crimes. BJS employed a ratio adjustment method to weight
the individual-level race and Hispanic origin or sex-specific
offense data from the NCRP to the state prison control totals
for sex and the estimated race or Hispanic origin from the
NPS, thereby yielding a national offense distribution for state
prisoners. Inmates missing offense data were excluded from
the analysis prior to the weighting. Because data submission
for the NCRP typically lags behind that of the NPS, offense
distribution estimates are published for the previous
calendar year.

Prison capacities
State and federal correctional authorities provide three
measures of their facilities’ capacity: design capacity,
operational capacity, and rated capacity. Estimates of the
prison populations as a percentage of capacity are based
on a state or federal custody population. In general, state
capacity and custody counts exclude inmates held in private
facilities, although five states include prisoners held in private
facilities as part of the capacity of their prison systems:
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, and Mississippi. For these
states, prison population as a percentage of capacity includes
private facilities.

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33

Appendix Table 1
Admissions and releases of sentenced prisoners by jurisdiction, 2011 and 2012
Jurisdiction
U.S. Total
Federal
State
Alabama
Alaskac,g,h
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticutg
Delawareg
Florida
Georgia
Hawaiig
Idaho
Illinoisi
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusettsj
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevadai
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islandg
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermontg
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia

2011
Total
671,551
60,634
610,917
11,387
3,789
13,030
7,059
96,669
9,455
5,881
3,031
33,399
14,877
1,366
3,531
31,167
18,389
4,709
4,954
15,479
16,161
921
9,811
2,856
13,165
7,214
8,410
17,979
2,063
2,410
5,545
1,616
10,110
3,491
23,257
11,523
950
22,150
7,456
5,313
18,175
850
7,323
2,820
14,283
73,444
3,258
2,044
11,140
16,335
3,404

2012
Total
609,781
55,938
553,843
11,203
3,906
12,970
5,782
34,294
9,409
5,659
3,017
32,265
15,743
1,524
4,568
30,877
18,694
4,877
5,060
15,399
17,325
846
9,396
2,635
13,888
7,412
8,559
18,216
2,020
2,761
5,336
1,696
9,976
3,580
23,065
12,098
1,160
21,529
7,697
5,376
18,492
868
6,802
2,918
13,922
75,378
3,142
1,912
11,727
18,232
3,525

Admissions during—a
Percent change, 2012 New court 2012 Parole
2011–2012
commitmentsc violationsc,d
-9.2%
444,591
152,780
-7.7
51,241
4,696
-9.3
393,350
148,084
-1.6
9,201
1,116
3.1
/
/
-0.5
10,469
2,394
-18.1
4,588
1,182
-64.5
26,277
8,017
-0.5
5,009
4,396
-3.8
4,711
800
-0.5
2,610
389
-3.4
31,129
119
5.8
13,940
1,794
11.6
854
670
29.4
4,306
262
-0.9
19,881
10,807
1.7
15,377
3,014
3.6
3,754
1,114
2.1
3,701
1,300
-0.5
11,262
4,137
7.2
12,197
5,104
-8.1
563
283
-4.2
5,859
3,534
-7.7
2,385
250
5.5
7,477
4,100
2.7
4,735
2,677
1.8
6,412
2,108
1.3
9,748
8,465
-2.1
1,519
501
14.6
2,162
459
-3.8
4,335
930
5.0
868
813
-1.3
7,504
2,472
2.5
2,225
1,355
-0.8
13,853
9,158
5.0
11,469
629
22.1
640
520
-2.8
18,939
2,579
3.2
5,235
2,462
1.2
3,729
1,443
1.7
10,758
7,259
2.1
697
170
-7.1
5,205
1,572
3.5
1,180
835
-2.5
8,577
5,337
2.6
50,071
24,331
-3.6
1,945
1,197
-6.5
597
1,315
5.3
11,507
220
11.6
7,622
10,605
3.6
1,724
1,327

2011
2012
Total
Total
691,072 637,411
55,239 56,037
635,833 581,374
11,052 11,253
3,599
3,774
13,149 13,000
7,252
6,298
109,467 47,454
9,367 10,919
6,379
6,014
3,600
4,012
34,673 33,661
15,309 14,021
1,404
1,631
4,079
4,617
31,155 30,108
18,422 18,555
5,105
5,221
4,671
4,795
14,571 16,215
16,580 17,104
1,049
1,108
9,829 10,347
2,484
2,871
14,374 13,199
7,734
7,730
8,197
7,725
17,823 17,957
2,101
2,089
2,391
2,688
5,910
5,399
1,881
1,555
11,485 10,817
3,529
3,371
24,460 24,224
11,878 12,327
1,013
1,069
22,899 21,628
7,694
6,947
4,567
5,023
17,698 18,805
960
967
7,912
7,309
2,732
2,812
14,961 15,955
74,544 82,130
3,206
3,063
2,062
1,963
12,345 11,568
16,412 18,181
3,257
3,293

Releases during—b
Percent change, 2012
2012
2011–2012
Unconditionalc,e Conditionalc,f
-7.8%
213,204
408,186
1.4
55,079
591
-8.6
158,125
407,595
1.8
3,740
7,358
4.9
/
/
-1.1
2,119
10,146
-13.2
313
5,940
-56.6
29,485
17,756
16.6
1,315
9,426
-5.7
3,355
2,634
11.4
304
3,651
-2.9
21,426
11,879
-8.4
4,510
9,388
16.2
315
654
13.2
958
3,644
-3.4
5,602
24,381
0.7
1,888
16,608
2.3
1,330
3,810
2.7
1,159
3,614
11.3
3,272
12,852
3.2
1,511
15,419
5.6
703
405
5.3
1,308
8,974
15.6
2,266
574
-8.2
961
9,972
-0.1
1,049
6,666
-5.8
1,370
6,239
0.8
1,625
16,238
-0.6
284
1,789
12.4
722
1,950
-8.6
1,989
3,374
-17.3
98
1,440
-5.8
6,040
4,618
-4.5
1,034
2,322
-1.0
2,696
21,261
3.8
8,119
4,132
5.5
188
874
-5.6
10,008
11,478
-9.7
3,884
2,978
10.0
17
4,745
6.3
3,933
14,702
0.7
617
346
-7.6
3,160
4,066
2.9
399
2,402
6.6
4,878
10,997
10.2
11,280
66,820
-4.5
1,262
1,786
-4.8
306
1,655
-6.3
1,276
10,168
10.8
2,285
15,848
1.1
1,086
1,744
Continued on the next page

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34

APPENDIX TABLE 1 (continued)
Admissions and releases of sentenced prisoners by jurisdiction, 2011 and 2012
Jurisdiction
Wisconsin
Wyoming

2011
Total
6,411
857

Admissions during—a
2012 Percent change, 2012 New court 2012 Parole
Total 2011–2012
commitmentsc violationsc,d
6,200
-3.3
3,774
2,426
907
5.8
770
137

2011
Total
7,825
787

2012
Total
7,724
878

Releases during—b
Percent change, 2012
2011–2012
Unconditionalc,e
-1.3
467
11.6
213

2012
Conditionalc,f
7,213
659

Note: As of December 31, 2001, sentenced felons from the District of Columbia are the responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
/Not reported.
aCounts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Counts exclude transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals include other conditional
release violators, returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. See Methodology.
bCounts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year. Counts exclude transfers, escapes, and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals include deaths, releases to
appeal or bond, and other releases. See Methodology.
cAlaska did not report type of admission or release. Total admissions and releases include Alaskan reported values, but state and national totals by type of admission and
release do not.
dIncludes all conditional release violators returned to prison for either violations of conditions of release or for new crimes.
eIncludes releases to probation, supervised mandatory releases, and other unspecified conditional releases.
fIncludes expirations of sentence, communtations, and other unconditional releases.
gPrisons and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison populations.
hState updated 2011 admission and release totals.
iState did not report 2012 NPS data. Total number of admissions and releases imputed, and types of admission and release based on 2011 distribution. See Methodology.
jChanges made in the legislature to reduce discretionary paroles in 2011 are reflected in a higher parole rate in 2012.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2011–2012.

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35

Appendix Table 2
Estimated unconditional releases from state prison, by race, Hispanic origin, and most serious offense, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011
1991a
White
Black
Total
100%
100%
Violent
26.2%
29.5%
Murdere
1.4
1.1
Negligent manslaughter
2.3
1.7
Rape/sexual assault
8.8
4.1
Robbery
6.5
13.2
Assault
5.3
8.2
Other violent
2.0
1.2
Property
44.1%
41.9%
Burglary
18.9
16.5
Larceny
10.9
13.1
Motor vehicle theft
2.3
2.3
Fraud
7.3
6.0
Other property
4.8
4.1
Drug
12.1%
20.8%
Possession
4.4
9.4
Other drugf
7.7
11.4
Public orderg
14.3%
5.7%
Other/unspecifiedh
3.2%
2.1%
Number of unconditional releases 24,877 26,248
Most serious offensec

Whited
100%
26.5%
0.8
0.8
9.2
5.4
8.1
2.1
41.2%
17.1
8.6
2.6
7.0
6.0
16.3%
7.3
9.0
15.6%
0.4%
44,385

2001b
Blackd
100%
27.1%
1.0
0.6
3.9
11.1
9.2
1.4
27.2%
11.1
7.6
1.9
3.8
2.8
35.9%
11.9
24.0
9.4%
0.3%
47,824

Hispanic
100%
32.9%
1.5
1.1
5.9
10.2
11.7
2.6
25.4%
12.8
4.3
3.0
1.7
3.6
31.4%
6.2
25.2
9.8%
0.5%
26,084

Whited
100%
22.1%
0.6
0.7
6.7
4.0
8.1
2.2
36.7%
12.9
8.4
2.5
8.0
5.0
18.2%
7.9
10.3
22.2%
0.7%
50,407

2006b
Blackd
100%
27.7%
0.8
0.5
4.5
9.9
10.2
1.8
26.6%
9.7
7.8
1.8
4.7
2.6
31.4%
11.6
19.8
13.9%
0.4%
54,313

Hispanic
100%
30.5%
1.0
0.8
6.7
8.0
11.7
2.4
22.8%
10.5
4.7
2.5
3.0
2.2
27.0%
13.0
14.0
19.3%
0.3%
29,623

Whited
100%
20.4%
0.5
0.6
5.4
3.5
8.0
2.3
38.8%
13.9
8.0
3.3
6.2
7.4
22.0%
6.8
15.2
17.3%
1.5%
49,594

2011b
Blackd
100%
23.3%
0.7
0.5
2.9
8.4
8.8
2.0
25.5%
10.7
6.3
1.6
3.8
3.1
33.1%
6.6
26.5
17.0%
1.1%
53,437

Hispanic
100%
24.6%
0.6
0.6
4.5
5.4
10.7
2.8
28.0%
10.2
5.7
5.4
2.5
4.2
31.5%
7.2
24.3
15.4%
0.5%
29,146

Note: Based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year released from state prison by expirations of sentence, commutations, and other unconditional releases. Detail
may not sum to total due to rounding, missing offense data, and race categories not shown. Release totals from National Prisoner Statistics Program. Offense distribution based
on National Corrections Reporting Program administrative data. Estimates may vary from those previously published due to differences in methodology.
aRace data are weighted to represent the race/Hispanic origin distribution from the 1991 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. The U.S. Office of Management and
Budget published guidelines on the collection and reporting of Hispanic origin in 1997 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg_1997standards/) and few states collected
Hispanic origin data in 1991. Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are included in the white and black categories. See Methodology.
bRace and Hispanic origin data are weighted to represent the race/ethnicity distribution from the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. See Methodology.
cMost serious offense refers to the original offense for which an inmate was sentenced, not the incident causing the parole revocation.
dExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin and persons of two or more races.
eIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
fIncludes drug trafficking.
gIncludes weapons, drunk driving, and court offenses; habitual offender sanctions; commercialized vice, morals, and decency offenses; and liquor law violations and other
public order offenses.
hIncludes juvenile offenses and other unspecified offense categories.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and National Corrections Reporting Program, 1991, 2001, 2006, and 2011; and Survey of Inmates in
State Correctional Facilities, 1991 and 2004.

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36

Appendix Table 3
Sentenced state and federal prisoners admitted, by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 2012
Age group
Totald
18–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–39
40–44
45–49
50–54
55–59
60–64
65 or older
Number of admitted prisoners

Totala All malea,b Whitec
100%
100%
100%
3.5
3.8
2.4
17.7
18.1
15.3
19.3
19.1
18.0
16.7
16.5
16.3
12.4
12.2
12.5
10.9
10.7
12.2
9.0
8.8
10.4
5.8
5.8
7.0
2.6
2.6
3.3
1.1
1.1
1.5
0.6
0.6
1.0
609,781 542,940 172,843

Male
Blackc
100%
5.1
20.0
18.3
15.4
10.8
9.9
9.0
6.2
2.8
1.1
0.4
198,251

Hispanic
100%
3.8
19.0
21.2
18.2
13.3
9.9
7.0
3.9
1.8
0.8
0.4
126,005

Otherb,c
100%
3.4
18.3
21.5
16.5
14.0
10.2
7.5
4.7
1.7
0.8
0.6
45,841

All femalea,b
100%
1.5
14.5
20.6
18.8
14.0
12.2
9.9
5.3
2.0
0.7
0.3
66,841

Whitec
100%
1.2
13.8
20.9
18.4
14.2
12.9
10.0
5.4
2.1
0.7
0.3
32,685

Female
Blackc
100%
2.2
15.1
17.3
17.5
13.5
12.8
11.3
6.5
2.6
0.7
0.3
15,360

Hispanic
100%
2.1
15.0
22.5
20.3
14.6
10.9
8.7
3.8
1.4
0.4
0.2
10,925

Otherb,c
100%
0.5
15.7
23.0
21.3
13.6
9.8
8.7
4.6
1.5
0.7
0.1
7,872

Note: Counts based on prisoners admitted to serve a sentence of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional officials. Excludes transfers, escapes,
and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals for all admissions include other conditional release violators, returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. Missing data
were imputed for Illinois and Nevada. See Methodology.
aDetail may not sum to total due to rounding, inmates age 17 or younger, and missing race/Hispanic origin data.
bIncludes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, and persons identifying two or more races.
cExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino orgin.
dIncludes persons age 17 or younger.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2012; Federal Justice Statistics Program, 2011–2012; National Corrections Reporting Program, 2011;
and Survey of Inmates in State and Local Correctional Facilities, 2004.

Appendix Table 4
Sentenced state and federal prisoners, by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, December 31, 2012
Age group
Totald
18–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–39
40–44
45–49
50–54
55–59
60–64
65 or older
Number of sentenced prisoners

Totala All malea,b Whitec
100%
100%
100%
1.3%
1.4%
0.8%
12.1
12.2
9.4
15.8
15.7
13.8
16.7
16.6
14.9
13.7
13.6
12.5
12.5
12.4
13.3
10.9
10.9
12.5
8.0
8.1
10.0
4.5
4.6
5.9
2.3
2.4
3.4
1.9
2.0
3.4
1,511,480 1,410,191 451,252

Male
Blackc
100%
1.7%
13.8
15.9
16.9
13.8
12.0
10.6
7.7
4.2
1.8
1.2
527,768

Hispanic
100%
1.5%
13.4
17.9
18.8
15.3
12.0
9.0
5.9
3.3
1.6
1.2
315,234

Otherb,c
100%
1.3%
12.5
18.2
17.9
14.9
11.6
9.2
6.8
3.6
1.9
1.6
115,937

All femalea,b
100%
0.8%
11.0
17.3
18.1
14.4
13.5
11.5
7.4
3.6
1.5
1.0
101,289

Whitec
100%
0.6%
9.9
17.0
17.8
14.6
14.0
11.7
7.7
3.6
1.8
1.2
49,352

Female
Blackc
100%
0.9%
11.5
16.2
17.5
14.1
13.7
12.4
7.7
3.8
1.3
0.4
23,386

Hispanic
100%
1.2%
12.9
20.0
20.0
14.7
12.4
9.4
5.3
2.9
1.2
0.6
16,968

Otherb,c
100%
0.0%
12.1
20.7
20.7
13.8
12.1
9.5
6.9
3.4
0.9
0.9
11,584

Note: Counts based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional officials. Missing data were imputed for Illinois and
Nevada. See Methodology.
aDetail may not sum to total due to rounding, inmates age 17 or younger, and missing race/Hispanic origin data.
bIncludes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, and persons identifying two or more races.
cExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino orgin.
dIncludes persons age 17 or younger.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2012; Federal Justice Statistics Program, 2012; National Corrections Reporting Program, 2011;
and Survey of Inmates in State and Local Correctional Facilities, 2004.

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37

Appendix Table 5
Sentenced state and federal prisoners released, by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 2012
Age group
Totald
18–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–39
40–44
45–49
50–54
55–59
60–64
65 or older
Number of released prisoners

Totala All malea,b Whitec
100%
100%
100%
1.3%
1.2%
0.8%
14.0
14.2
12.0
19.0
19.0
17.5
17.6
17.5
16.6
13.3
13.2
12.8
12.0
11.8
13.0
10.3
10.2
11.6
6.9
7.0
8.2
3.2
3.3
3.8
1.4
1.5
1.8
0.9
1.0
1.5
637,411 568,556 181,841

Male
Blackc
100%
1.6%
15.1
18.5
17.0
12.3
11.4
10.5
7.4
3.7
1.5
0.7
208,415

Hispanic
100%
1.3%
15.5
21.4
19.3
14.5
11.0
8.1
4.9
2.2
1.0
0.7
130,107

Otherb,c
100%
1.1%
14.4
20.6
18.0
14.6
11.2
9.3
6.1
2.5
1.2
0.8
48,193

All femalea,b
100%
2.1%
12.6
19.1
18.2
14.5
13.1
10.7
6.0
2.2
0.9
0.4
68,855

Whitec
100%
0.4%
10.9
19.5
18.8
14.9
13.9
11.4
6.2
2.3
1.0
0.5
33,758

Female
Blackc
100%
0.7%
10.7
16.7
17.4
14.3
14.1
13.6
8.2
2.7
1.0
0.4
15,934

Hispanic
100%
10.3%
20.6
20.2
15.7
13.6
9.6
5.7
2.2
0.8
0.4
0.1
11,038

Otherb,c
100%
0.5%
12.1
20.7
20.3
14.4
12.8
9.3
5.6
2.4
0.8
0.3
8,125

Note: Counts based on prisoners admitted to serve a sentence of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional officials. Excludes transfers, escapes,
and those absent without leave (AWOL). Totals for all admissions include other conditional release violators, returns from appeal or bond, and other admissions. Missing data
were imputed for Illinois and Nevada. See Methodology.
aDetail may not sum to total due to rounding, inmates age 17 or younger, and missing race/Hispanic origin data.
bIncludes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, and persons identifying two or more races.
cExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino orgin.
dIncludes persons age 17 or younger.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2012; Federal Justice Statistics Program, 2011–2012; National Corrections Reporting Program, 2011;
and Survey of Inmates in State and Local Correctional Facilities, 2004.

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38

Appendix Table 6
Total state and federal prisoners, by sex, December 31, 2011 and 2012
Jurisdiction
U.S. Total
Federala
State
Alabama
Alaskab
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticutb
Delawareb
Florida
Georgia
Hawaiib
Idaho
Illinoisc
Indiana
Iowad
Kansasd
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevadac
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islandb
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermontb
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Total
1,598,968
216,362
1,382,606
32,270
5,597
40,020
16,108
149,569
21,978
18,324
6,739
103,055
55,944
6,037
7,739
48,427
28,906
9,116
9,327
21,545
39,710
2,145
22,558
11,623
42,940
9,800
21,386
30,833
3,678
4,616
12,778
2,614
23,834
6,998
55,436
39,440
1,423
50,964
25,977
14,510
51,578
3,337
22,914
3,535
28,479
172,224
6,879
2,053
38,130
17,847
6,826
22,657
2,183

2011
Males
1,487,561
202,462
1,285,099
29,696
4,932
36,470
14,995
141,382
19,957
17,090
6,202
95,913
52,027
5,304
6,854
45,562
26,406
8,378
8,647
19,091
37,326
1,981
21,576
10,832
41,031
9,156
19,808
28,258
3,274
4,247
11,811
2,444
22,762
6,366
53,124
36,800
1,276
47,061
23,558
13,387
48,795
3,158
21,528
3,094
26,070
158,036
6,266
1,905
35,321
16,452
6,074
21,472
1,944

Females
111,407
13,900
97,507
2,574
665
3,550
1,113
8,187
2,021
1,234
537
7,142
3,917
733
885
2,865
2,500
738
680
2,454
2,384
164
982
791
1,909
644
1,578
2,575
404
369
967
170
1,072
632
2,312
2,640
147
3,903
2,419
1,123
2,783
179
1,386
441
2,409
14,188
613
148
2,809
1,395
752
1,185
239

Total
1,570,397
217,815
1,352,582
32,431
5,633
40,080
14,654
134,534
20,462
17,530
6,914
101,930
55,457
5,831
7,985
49,348
28,831
8,733
9,682
22,110
40,172
2,108
21,522
11,308
43,636
9,938
22,319
31,247
3,609
4,705
12,883
2,790
23,225
6,727
54,210
37,136
1,512
50,876
25,225
14,840
51,125
3,318
22,388
3,650
28,411
166,372
6,962
2,034
37,044
17,271
7,070
22,600
2,204

2012
Males
1,461,625
203,766
1,257,859
29,782
4,934
36,447
13,594
128,436
18,739
16,312
6,348
94,945
51,868
5,143
6,977
46,599
26,265
7,949
8,952
19,425
37,783
1,944
20,646
10,549
41,647
9,228
20,652
28,544
3,210
4,352
11,845
2,583
22,164
6,096
51,963
34,675
1,341
47,008
22,728
13,609
48,380
3,128
21,051
3,227
26,048
152,823
6,323
1,907
34,150
15,934
6,265
21,375
1,966

Females
108,772
14,049
94,723
2,649
699
3,633
1,060
6,098
1,723
1,218
566
6,985
3,589
688
1,008
2,749
2,566
784
730
2,685
2,389
164
876
759
1,989
710
1,667
2,703
399
353
1,038
207
1,061
631
2,247
2,461
171
3,868
2,497
1,231
2,745
190
1,337
423
2,363
13,549
639
127
2,894
1,337
805
1,225
238

Total
-1.8%
0.7%
-2.2%
0.5
0.6
0.1
-9.0
-10.1
-6.9
-4.3
2.6
-1.1
-0.9
-3.4
3.2
1.9
-0.3
-4.2
3.8
2.6
1.2
-1.7
-4.6
-2.7
1.6
1.4
4.4
1.3
-1.9
1.9
0.8
6.7
-2.6
-3.9
-2.2
-5.8
6.3
-0.2
-2.9
2.3
-0.9
-0.6
-2.3
3.3
-0.2
-3.4
1.2
-0.9
-2.8
-3.2
3.6
-0.3
1.0

Percent change, 2011–2012
Males
Females
-1.7%
-2.4%
0.6%
1.1%
-2.1%
-2.9%
0.3
2.9
0.0
5.1
-0.1
2.3
-9.3
-4.8
-9.2
-25.5
-6.1
-14.7
-4.6
-1.3
2.4
5.4
-1.0
-2.2
-0.3
-8.4
-3.0
-6.1
1.8
13.9
2.3
-4.0
-0.5
2.6
-5.1
6.2
3.5
7.4
1.7
9.4
1.2
0.2
-1.9
0.0
-4.3
-10.8
-2.6
-4.0
1.5
4.2
0.8
10.2
4.3
5.6
1.0
5.0
-2.0
-1.2
2.5
-4.3
0.3
7.3
5.7
21.8
-2.6
-1.0
-4.2
-0.2
-2.2
-2.8
-5.8
-6.8
5.1
16.3
-0.1
-0.9
-3.5
3.2
1.7
9.6
-0.9
-1.4
-0.9
6.1
-2.2
-3.5
4.3
-4.1
-0.1
-1.9
-3.3
-4.5
0.9
4.2
0.1
-14.2
-3.3
3.0
-3.1
-4.2
3.1
7.0
-0.5
3.4
1.1
-0.4

Note: Jurisdiction refers to the legal authority of state or federal correctional officials over a prisoner, regardless of where the prisoner is held. Counts are based on prisoners
of any sentence length under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional officials. As of December 31, 2001, sentenced felons from the District of Columbia are the
responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
aIncludes inmates held in nonsecure privately operated community corrections facilities and juveniles held in contract facilities.
bPrisons and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison populations.
cState did not submit 2012 National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program data, so population estimates for 2012 are imputed. See Methodology for discussion of imputation
strategy.
dChange in reporting methods. See National Prisoner Statistics Program jurisdiction notes.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2011–2012.

Appendix Table 7
Prisoners held in the custody of private prisons and local jails, December 31, 2011 and 2012
Jurisdiction
U.S. Total
Federalb
State
Alabama
Alaskac
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticutc
Delawarec
Florida
Georgia
Hawaiic
Idaho
Illinoisd
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevadad
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islandc
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermontc
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

2011
130,972
38,546
92,426
545
1,688
6,457
0
697
4,303
855
0
11,827
5,615
1,767
2,332
0
2,952
0
74
2,050
2,951
0
78
0
0
0
4,669
0
1,418
0
0
0
2,887
2,853
0
30
0
3,004
6,026
0
1,195
0
20
11
5,147
18,603
0
522
1,569
0
0
36
245

Inmates held in private prisonsa
Percent change Percentage of total
2012
2011–2012
jurisdiction, 2012
137,220
4.8%
8.7%
40,446
4.9
18.6
96,774
4.7%
7.1%
538
-1.3
1.7
1,733
2.7
30.8
6,435
-0.3
16.1
0
0.0
0.0
608
-12.8
0.5
3,939
-8.5
19.3
817
-4.4
4.7
0
0.0
0.0
11,701
-1.1
11.5
7,900
40.7
14.2
1,636
-7.4
28.1
2,725
16.9
34.1
/
/
/
4,251
44.0
14.7
0
0.0
0.0
83
12.2
0.9
812
-60.4
3.7
2,956
0.2
7.4
0
0.0
0.0
27
-65.4
0.1
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
4,334
-7.2
19.4
0
0.0
0.0
1,418
0.0
39.3
0
0.0
0.0
/
/
/
0
0.0
0.0
2,717
-5.9
11.7
2,999
5.1
44.6
0
0.0
0.0
30
0.0
0.1
0
0.0
0.0
5,343
77.9
10.5
6,423
6.6
25.5
0
0.0
0.0
1,219
2.0
2.4
0
0.0
0.0
16
-20.0
0.1
15
36.4
0.4
5,165
0.3
18.2
18,617
0.1
11.2
0
0.0
0.0
504
-3.4
24.8
1,559
-0.6
4.2
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
18
-50.0
0.1
236
-3.7
10.7

2011
82,053
1,439
80,614
2,148
0
0
883
57
116
0
0
1,267
3,100
0
588
0
1,504
0
1
7,190
20,866
110
151
163
36
562
5,996
0
523
56
100
20
200
0
14
0
55
0
2,088
0
609
0
366
73
8,660
11,906
1,529
0
7,474
386
1,677
149
9

Inmates held in local jails
Percent change Percentage of total
2012
2011–2012
jurisdiction, 2012
83,603
1.9%
5.3%
795
-44.8
0.4
82,808
2.7%
6.1%
2,382
10.9
7.3
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
584
-33.9
4.0
0
-100.0
0.0
134
15.5
0.7
0
0.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
1,197
-5.5
1.2
4,896
57.9
8.8
0
0.0
0.0
467
-20.6
5.8
/
/
/
797
-47.0
2.8
0
0.0
0.0
0
-100.0
0.0
8,487
18.0
38.4
21,571
3.4
53.7
72
-34.5
3.4
178
17.9
0.8
196
20.2
1.7
42
16.7
0.1
614
9.3
6.2
6,528
8.9
29.2
0
0.0
0.0
488
-6.7
13.5
32
-42.9
0.7
102
2.0
0.8
43
115.0
1.5
109
-45.5
0.5
0
0.0
0.0
0
-100.0
0.0
0
0.0
0.0
106
92.7
7.0
0
0.0
0.0
2,373
13.6
9.4
0
0.0
0.0
489
-19.7
1.0
0
0.0
0.0
374
2.2
1.7
64
-12.3
1.8
8,618
-0.5
30.3
10,814
-9.2
6.5
1,574
2.9
22.6
0
0.0
0.0
7,389
-1.1
19.9
279
-27.7
1.6
1,735
3.5
24.5
70
-53.0
0.3
4
-55.6
0.2

Note: As of December 31, 2001, sentenced felons from the District of Columbia are the responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
/Not reported.
aIncludes prisoners held in the jurisdiction’s own private facilities, as well as private facilities in another state.
bIncludes federal prisoners held in nonsecure, privately operated facilities (8,932), as well as prisoners on home confinement (2,659).
cPrisons and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison populations.
dState did not submit 2012 National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program data. Local jail value for Nevada estimated based on 2011 data.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2011, 2012.

Appendix Table 8
Reported state and federal noncitizen inmates and inmates under age 18, December 31, 2012
Jurisdiction
U.S. total
Federal*
State
Alabama
Alaskaa,b
Arizona
Arkansas
Californiac
Coloradod
Connecticuta
Delawarea
Floridae
Georgia
Hawaiia
Idaho
Illinoisf
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Marylandd
Massachusettsb
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missourid
Montana
Nebraska
Nevadaf
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New Yorkd
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahomad
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islanda
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennesseed
Texas
Utah
Vermonta
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Total
92,892
28,959
63,933
199
0
4,892
183
15,079
1,655
595
304
9,976
2,720
287
0
/
565
263
336
247
125
23
651
1,025
617
555
14
533
17
239
/
118
1,466
174
4,321
1,569
12
563
0
1,233
1,071
69
493
76
276
8,808
351
26
619
916
18
613
41

Noncitizen inmates
Male
89,030
26,923
62,107
197
0
4,769
175
14,745
1,592
572
287
9,631
2,596
269
0
/
556
257
332
229
121
22
634
972
595
545
14
499
16
238
/
110
1,435
170
4,196
1,534
11
545
0
1,212
1,043
68
473
75
262
8,592
343
25
603
890
17
601
39

Female
3,862
2,036
1,826
2
0
123
8
334
63
23
17
345
124
18
0
/
9
6
4
18
4
1
17
53
22
10
0
34
1
1
/
8
31
4
125
35
1
18
0
21
28
1
20
1
14
216
8
1
16
26
1
12
2

Total
1,325
0
1,325
88
0
69
17
0
7
106
12
196
93
0
0
/
27
8
4
0
38
1
24
1
91
7
8
8
0
9
/
0
7
0
136
119
0
30
16
0
22
0
32
0
19
86
2
2
3
24
0
13
0

Inmates under age 18
Male
1,276
0
1,276
87
0
61
15
0
7
102
12
185
92
0
0
/
26
8
4
0
38
1
23
1
89
7
8
8
0
9
/
0
6
0
132
115
0
30
14
0
21
0
31
0
19
81
2
2
3
24
0
13
0

Note: The definition of non-U.S. citizen varies across jurisdictions. Use caution when interpreting these statistics.
*The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not house inmates age 17 or younger in federal facilities; 105 such inmates were housed in contract facilities in 2012.
aPrisons and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison populations.
bNumber of U.S. citizens based only on inmates who reported their citizenship.
cNon-U.S. citizens are defined as inmates held by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
dNon-U.S. citizens are defined as foreign-born.
eIncludes both confirmed and suspected alien inmates.
fState did not submit 2012 National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program data.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2012.

Female
49
0
49
1
0
8
2
0
0
4
0
11
1
0
0
/
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
/
0
1
0
4
4
0
0
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Appendix Table 9
Prison facility capacity, custody population, and percent capacity, December 31, 2012
Jurisdiction
Federalb
Alabamac
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Californiac
Colorado
Connecticut
Delawarec
Floridad
Georgiad
Hawaii
Idahoc,d
Illinoise
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisianad
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michiganc,f
Minnesota
Mississippid
Missouric
Montana
Nebraskac
Nevadag
New Hampshirec
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakotac
Ohio
Oklahomac
Oregon
Pennsylvaniac
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakotac
Tennessee
Texasc
Utah
Vermont
Virginiac
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsinc
Wyoming

Rated
128,615
…
3,058
36,681
14,407
…
…
/
5,669
…
61,184
…
…
33,804
…
…
9,180
12,982
18,599
2,339
…
…
45,116
…
…
…
3,378
…
…
…
20,256
6,192
53,164
…
1,044
38,450
18,130
…
48,579
3,989
…
…
20,762
166,298
…
1,681
30,712
16,421
4,560
…
2,288

Type of capacity measure
Operational
…
26,339
3,206
41,770
14,462
123,362
14,221
/
5,210
113,874
56,064
3,327
7,270
52,159
29,683
…
9,233
13,212
18,858
2,133
24,554
…
44,284
9,099
25,611
31,386
…
3,969
11,432
2,568
21,119
7,111
54,066
36,670
991
…
…
…
48,579
3,774
24,031
3,676
20,241
159,816
7,030
1,681
…
15,948
5,390
…
2,288

Design
…
13,403
…
36,681
13,863
84,130
13,178
/
4,161
…
…
2,291
7,442
33,804
…
7,209
9,164
13,807
…
2,339
…
8,029
…
…
…
…
…
3,175
…
2,190
22,728
7,111
52,587
31,304
1,044
…
…
14,362
48,579
3,973
…
…
…
166,298
7,270
1,322
…
…
4,560
17,136
2,407

Custody population
176,658
26,230
4,575
33,578
14,043
132,935
16,389
16,347
6,730
99,835
55,178
3,661
7,715
49,348
23,783
8,735
9,422
12,186
18,601
1,977
21,783
11,127
43,594
9,421
15,791
31,205
1,677
4,721
12,594
2,568
20,333
3,641
54,058
37,378
1,413
45,529
17,947
14,123
49,009
3,042
21,867
3,582
14,652
136,578
5,309
1,530
28,149
16,919
5,335
22,401
1,951

Custody population as a percent of—
Lowest capacitya
Highest capacitya
137.3%
137.3%
195.7%
99.6%
149.6
142.7
91.5
80.4
101.3
97.1
158.0
107.8
124.4
115.2
/
/
161.7
118.7
87.7
87.7
98.4
90.2
159.8
110.0
106.1
103.7
146.0
94.6
80.1
80.1
121.2
121.2
102.8
102.0
93.9
88.3
100.0
98.6
92.7
84.5
88.7
88.7
138.6
138.6
98.4
96.6
103.5
103.5
61.7
61.7
99.4
99.4
49.6
49.6
148.7
118.9
110.2
110.2
117.3
100.0
100.4
89.5
58.8
51.2
102.8
100.0
119.4
101.9
142.6
135.3
118.4
118.4
99.0
99.0
98.3
98.3
100.9
100.9
76.6
76.3
91.0
91.0
97.4
97.4
72.4
70.6
85.5
82.1
75.5
73.0
115.7
91.0
91.7
91.7
106.1
103.0
117.0
99.0
130.7
130.7
85.3
81.1

…Not available. Specific type of capacity is not measured by state.
/ Not reported. State does not report any capacity data.
aPopulation counts are based on the number of inmates held in custody in facilities operated by the jurisdiction. Excludes inmates held in local jails, other states, or private
facilities unless otherwise stated.
bFederal custody count reported for the calculation of capacity includes an additional 189 inmates compared to the yearend custody reported in NPS.
cState defines capacity in a way that differs from BJS’s definition. See individual National Prisoner Statistics Program jurisdiction notes.
dPrivate facilities included in capacity and custody counts.
eIllinois did not report 2012 National Prisoner Statistics Program data. Capacity counts obtained from DOC website (http:/www2.illinois.gov/idoc/reportsandstatistics/
Documents/IDOC_Quarterly%20Report_Apr_%202013.pdf), and reflect state prison capacity as of February 28, 2013.
fCapacity counts include institution and camp net operating capacities and the population of community programs on December 31 since these programs do not have a fixed
capacity.
gNevada did not report 2012 National Prisoner Statistics Program data. Capacity counts obtained from DOC website (http:/www.doc.nv.gov/sites/doc/files/pdf/stats/2012/12/
SS_QRII_FY13.pdf).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program, 2012.

Appendix Table 10
Sentenced federal prisoners, by sex and most serious offense, December 31, 2002, 2011, and 2012
2002
Most serious offense All inmates
Male
Total
143,040 133,732
Violent
13,586
13,147
Homicidea
1,253
1,191
Robbery
9,611
9,307
Other violent
2,722
2,649
Property
10,033
8,533
Burglary
230
219
Fraud
6,517
5,472
Other property
3,286
2,842
Drugb
80,986
74,823
Public order
37,353
36,219
Immigration
15,628
15,314
Weapons
13,781
13,574
Other
7,944
7,332
Other/unspecifiedc
1,083
1,009

Female
9,308
438
61
304
73
1,500
11
1,045
444
6,163
1,134
314
207
612
73

2011
All inmates
Male
197,050 184,901
14,882 14,281
2,839
2,656
8,091
7,844
3,952
3,781
10,697
8,701
410
391
7,768
6,165
2,519
2,145
94,636 87,709
68,910 66,805
22,043 21,427
29,790 29,285
17,077 16,094
:
:

Female
12,149
601
183
246
171
1,996
19
1,603
374
6,927
2,105
616
505
983
:

All inmates
196,574
11,688
1,378
7,110
3,201
11,568
172
8,827
2,569
99,426
72,519
23,700
30,046
18,773
1,372

2012
Male Female
184,258 12,316
11,226
463
1,272
106
6,904
206
3,050
151
9,250
2,318
159
13
6,964
1,863
2,127
442
92,291
7,135
70,219
2,300
23,020
680
29,567
480
17,633
1,141
1,272
100

Percent change 2011–2012
All inmates
Male Female
-0.2%
-0.3%
1.4%
-21.5%
-21.4%
-22.9%
-51.5
-52.1
-42.3
-12.1
-12.0
-16.4
-19.0
-19.3
-11.6
8.1%
6.3%
16.1%
-58.0
-59.2
-32.4
13.6
13.0
16.2
2.0
-0.8
18.2
5.1%
5.2%
3.0%
5.2%
5.1%
9.3%
7.5
7.4
10.3
0.9
1.0
-5.1
9.9
9.6
16.0
:%
:%
:%

Note: Counts are based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year under federal jurisdiction. See Methodology.
: Not calculated. 2011 data included individuals commiting drug and public order crimes that could not be separated from valid unspecified records.
aIncludes murder, negligent, and nonnegligent manslaughter.
bIncludes trafficking, possession, and other drug offenses.
cIncludes offenses not classified.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and Federal Justice Statistics Program, 2002, 2011, and 2012.

Appendix Table 11
Sentenced federal prisoners, by sex and most serious offense, December 31, 2002, 2011, and 2012
Most serious offense
Total
Violent
Homicidea
Robbery
Other violent
Property
Burglary
Fraud
Other property
Drugb
Public order
Immigration
Weapons
Other
Other/unspecifiedc

All inmates
143,040
9.5%
0.9
6.7
1.9
7.1%
0.2
4.6
2.3
56.7%
26.0%
10.9
9.6
5.6
0.8%

2002
Male
133,732
9.8%
0.9
7.0
2.0
6.4%
0.2
4.1
2.1
55.9%
27.1%
11.5
10.1
5.5
0.8%

Female
9,308
4.7%
0.7
3.3
0.8
16.1%
0.1
11.2
4.8
66.2%
12.2%
3.4
2.2
6.6
0.8%

All inmates
197,050
7.6%
1.4
4.1
2.0
5.4%
0.2
3.9
1.3
48.0%
35.0%
11.2
15.1
8.7
:%

2011
Male
184,901
7.7%
1.4
4.2
2.0
4.7%
0.2
3.3
1.2
47.4%
36.1%
11.6
15.8
8.7
:%

Female
12,149
4.9%
1.5
2.0
1.4
16.4%
0.2
13.2
3.1
57.0%
17.3%
5.1
4.2
8.1
:%

All inmates
196,574
5.9%
0.7
3.6
1.6
5.9%
0.1
4.5
1.3
50.6%
36.9%
12.1
15.3
9.6
0.7%

2012
Male
184,258
6.1%
0.7
3.7
1.7
5.0%
0.1
3.8
1.2
50.1%
38.1%
12.5
16.0
9.6
0.7%

Female
12,316
3.8%
0.9
1.7
1.2
18.8%
0.1
15.1
3.6
57.9%
18.7%
5.5
3.9
9.3
0.8%

Note: Counts are based on prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year under federal jurisdiction. See Methodology.
: Not calculated. 2011 data included individuals commiting drug and public order crimes that could not be separated from valid unspecified records.
aIncludes murder, negligent, and non-negligent manslaughter.
bIncludes trafficking, possession, and other drug offenses.
cIncludes offenses not classified.
Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics Program and Federal Justice Statistics Program, 2002, 2011, and 2012.

PRISONERS IN 2012: TRENDS IN ADMISSIONS AND RELEASES, 1991–2012 | DECEMBER 2013	

43

The Bureau of Justice Statistics, located in the Office of Justice Programs,
U.S. Department of Justice, collects, analyses, and disseminates statistical
information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the
operation of justice systems at all levels of government. William J. Sabol is
acting director.
This report was written by E. Ann Carson and Daniela Golinelli. Erinn
Herberman, Sheri Simmons, and Josephine Palma verified the report.
Jill Thomas and Lynne McConnell (Lockheed Martin) edited the report, and
Barbara Quinn, Tina Dorsey, and Morgan Young produced the report.
December 2013, NCJ 243920

Office of Justice Programs
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