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| ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 4:30 P.M. EDT |
BJS |
| Tuesday, July 30, 2002 |
202/307-0784 |
STATE PRISON POPULATION DROPS IN SECOND HALF OF 2001
FEDERAL INMATE GROWTH CONTINUES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During 2001, the nation’s prison population rose at the
lowest rate since 1972 and had the smallest absolute increase since 1979, the
Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today.
Overall, the number of prisoners in state prisons increased by 3,193 men and
women (up 0.3 percent) last year, while the federal prison system added 11,577
inmates (up 8.0 percent). During the last six months of 2001 the state prison
population fell by 3,705 men and women (down 0.3 percent), while the federal
prison system added 4,205 inmates (up 2.8 percent).
As of December 31, 2001, there were 2,100,146
United States residents incarcerated in the following facilities:
| State and Federal Prisons |
1,324,465 |
1 |
| Local Jails |
631,240 |
|
| Juvenile Detention Facilities |
108,965 |
2 |
| U.S. Territorial Prisons |
15,852 |
|
| U.S. Immigration and Naturalization facilities |
8,761 |
|
| Armed Services (Military) Prisons |
2,436 |
|
| Indian Country Jails |
1,912 |
|
1 Excludes inmates in local jails held for federal and state authorities
2 As of October 1999 |
| |
|
|
Since 1995, the number of male state and federal prisoners has grown 24
percent, reaching 1,313,000 in 2001, whereas the number of female prisoners has
increased 36 percent, reaching 93,031, or 6.6 percent of all state and federal
prisoners.
The largest growth in state inmates between 1990 and 2000 was among violent
offenders. During the decade the number of violent offenders grew 273,200. As a
percentage of the total growth in this time period, violent offenders accounted
for 53 percent.
Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses constituted the largest group of
Federal inmates, 57 percent, in 2000. In addition, between 1990 and 2000, the
number of Federal inmates held for weapons offenses increased 247 percent.
The bulletin, "Prisoners in 2001" (NCJ-195189), was written by BJS
statisticians Allen J. Beck and Paige M. Harrison. The bulletin provides further
numerous details on federal and state prisoner statistics. Single copies may be
obtained by calling the BJS Clearinghouse at 1-800-851-3420. In addition, this
document can be accessed at:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/p01.htm
For further information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics and other OJP
programs, please see the OJP website at
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov
Media calls should be directed to Stu Smith in OJP’s Office of Congressional
and Public Affairs at stu@ojp.usdoj.gov or 202-307-0784. After hours: 301-983-9354.
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