U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bulletin
November 2006, NCJ 215092

Prisoners in 2005
By Paige M. Harrison and
Allen J. Beck, Ph.D.
BJS Statisticians
The total number of prisoners under the
jurisdiction of Federal or State adult
correctional authorities was 1,525,924 at
yearend 2005. During the year the
States added 21,534 prisoners and the
Federal prison system added 7,290
prisoners. Overall, the Nation’s prison
population grew 1.9%, which was less
than the average annual growth of 3.1%
since yearend 1995.
The rate of incarceration in prison at
yearend 2005 was 491 sentenced
inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents, up
from 411 in 1995. About 1 in every 108
men and 1 in every 1,538 women were
sentenced prisoners under the jurisdiction of State or Federal authorities.

Highlights
The Nation’s prison population rose 1.9% in 2005
Prison
Number
population
of inmates
5 highest:
Federal
187,618
California
170,676
Texas
169,003
Florida
89,768
New York
62,743
5 lowest:
North Dakota
1,385
Maine
2,023
Wyoming
2,047
Vermont
2,078
New Hampshire
2,530

Overall, the United States incarcerated
2,320,359 persons at yearend 2005.
This total represents persons held in —
— Federal and State prisons
(1,446,269, which excludes State
and Federal prisoners in local jails)
— territorial prisons (15,735)

Incarceration
rate, 12/31/05
Louisiana
Texas
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Alabama

797
691
660
652
591

South Dakota
Montana
Kentucky
Nebraska
Alabama

11.9%
10.9
10.4
7.9
7.7

Maine
Minnesota
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
North Dakota

144
180
189
192
208

Georgia
Maryland
Louisiana
Mississippi
Arkansas

-4.6%
-2.4
-2.3
-2.2
-2.1

*Prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year.

During 2005 —

On December 31, 2005 —

• Fourteen States had prison population increases of at least 5%, led by
South Dakota (up 11.9%), Montana
(up 10.9%), and Kentucky (up
10.4%).

• 1 in every 136 U.S. residents was in
prison or jail.

• Eleven States experienced prison
population decreases, led by Georgia
(down 4.6%), Maryland (down 2.4%),
Louisiana (down 2.3%), and Mississippi (down 2.2%).

— local jails (747,529)

• State inmates held in private prison
facilities increased 8.8%, reaching
80,401 at yearend 2005.

— facilities operated by or exclusively
for the Bureau of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (10,104)

• Federal inmates held in private
facilities increased 9.2% to 27,046.

— military facilities (2,322)

• State and Federal inmates held in
local jails decreased 1.8% to 73,097.

— jails in Indian country (1,745 as of
midyear 2004)
— juvenile facilities (96,655 as of 2003).

Inmates per
Growth, 12/31/04 Percent
100,000 residents* to 12/31/05
change

• Local jails housed 73,097 State and
Federal inmates (4.8% of all prisoners).
• State prisons were operating
between 1% below and 14% above
capacity; Federal prisons were operating at 34% above capacity.
• Women made up 7.0% of all
inmates, up from 6.1% in 1995.
• About 8.1% of black males age 25
to 29 were in State or Federal prison,
compared to 2.6% of Hispanic males
and 1.1% of white males in the same
age group.

Nearly 2.2 million persons in prison
or jail at yearend 2005
On December 31, 2005, a total of
1,446,269 inmates were in the custody
of State and Federal prison authorities,
and 747,529 were in the custody of
local jail authorities (table 1). (Custody
is defined on page 11.) The total incarcerated population increased by
58,463, or 2.7% from yearend 2004.
This is less than the average annual
increase of 3.3% since 1995.
Including inmates in public and privately operated facilities, the number
of inmates in State prisons increased

recorded in 2004 (table 2). (Jurisdiction
is defined on page 11.) The population
under the jurisdiction of State and Federal authorities increased by 28,824
inmates during 2005, slightly larger
than the increase in 2004 (up 28,499).
Since December 31, 1995, the U.S.
prison population has grown an average of 44,527 inmates per year (3.1%).

1.3% during 2005; the number in Federal prisons, 5.1%; and in local jails,
4.7%.
The rate of incarceration in prison and
jail was 737 inmates per 100,000 U.S.
residents in 2005, up from 601 in 1995.
At yearend 2005, 1 in every 136 U.S.
residents was incarcerated in a State
or Federal prison or a local jail.

The Federal prison population totaled
187,618 at yearend 2005, up from
180,328 at yearend 2004. About 12%
of all prisoners were serving time in the
Federal system.

U.S. prison population rose 1.9%
during 2005
In 2005 the percentage increase in
inmates under State or Federal jurisdiction (1.9%) was the same as

Table 2. Change in State and Federal
prison populations, 1995-2005

Table 1. Number of persons held in State or Federal prisons
or in local jails, 1995-2005

Year

Total inmates
in custodya

1995
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

1,585,586
1,937,482
1,961,247
2,033,022
2,081,580
2,135,335
2,193,798

Prisoners in custody
on December 31
Federal
State
89,538
133,921
143,337
151,618
161,673
170,535
179,220

989,004
1,176,269
1,180,155
1,209,331
1,222,135
1,243,745
1,259,905

Year
Inmates held
in local jails
507,044
621,149
631,240
665,475
691,301
713,990
747,529

Percent change,
12/31/04-12/31/05

2.7%

5.1%

1.3%

4.7%

Average annual increase,
12/31/95 - 12/31/05

3.3%

7.2%

2.5%

4.0%

Incarceration rateb
601
684
685
701
712
723
737

Note: Counts include all inmates held in public and private adult correctional facilities.
aTotal counts include Federal inmates in non-secure privately operated facilities (7,144 in
2005, 7,065 in 2004, 6,471 in 2003, 6,598 in 2002, 6,515 in 2001, and 6,143 in 2000).
b
Number of prison and jail inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents at yearend.

Percent
Jurisdiction change*

Custody

1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

88,395
49,222
48,800
47,905
36,957
25,182
14,647
37,457
29,330
30,472
24,845

71,172
57,494
58,785
58,420
43,796
18,191
15,521
36,112
28,457
28,499
28,824

6.7%
5.1
5.0
4.7
3.4
1.3
1.1
2.6
2.0
1.9
1.9

Average annual
increase, 19952005

43,321

44,527

3.1%

Note: Counts based on comparable methods
were used to calculate the annual increase
and percent change.
*Percent change in total number of prisoners
under State and Federal jurisdiction.

15,735 inmates held in U.S. Territories at yearend 2005
The U.S. Territories and Commonwealths – American Samoa, Guam,
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto
Rico, and Virgin Islands – reported
15,735 inmates in the custody of their
prison systems at yearend 2005, a
decrease of 22 persons from 2004.
Puerto Rico held the largest number
of sentenced prisoners, 11,469 at
yearend 2005.
Prisoners with a sentence of more
than 1 year totaled 12,399 (more than
three-quarters of the total territorial
prison population).

Relative to the resident population in
the Territories, the rate of incarceration was 287 prisoners per 100,000
residents. Of the 5 Territories, the U.S.

Virgin Islands had the highest prison
incarceration rate (400 inmates per
100,000 residents), followed by Guam
(with 301).

Prisoners in custody of correctional authorities in the U.S. Territories and
Commonwealths, yearend 2004 and 2005
Total

Jurisdiction
Total
American Samoa
Guam
Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana
Islands
Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands

2005

Percent
change,
2004 2004-05

15,735 15,757

-0.1 %

Sentenced to more than 1 year
Percent
Incarcerachange,
tion rate,
2005
2004 2004-05
2005*
12,399 12,185

1.8 %

287

222
505

258
393

-14.0
28.5

174
238

165
122

5.5
95.1

301
141

149

150

-0.7

83

98

-15.3

103

14,263 14,380
596
576

-0.8
3.5

11,469
435

11,374
426

0.8
2.1

293
400

*The number of prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year per 100,000 persons
in the resident population. Midyear population estimates were provided by the U.S. Census
Bureau, International Data Base.

2 Prisoners in 2005

14 States reported increases of at
least 5% during 2005; 11 States had
decreases

Table 3. Prisoners under the jurisdiction of State or Federal correctional
authorities, by region and jurisdiction, 2004 and 2005

Between January 1 and December 31,
2005, South Dakota experienced the
largest increase in prison population
(up 11.9%), followed by Montana (up
10.9%), Kentucky (up 10.4%), and
Nebraska (up 7.9%) (table 3). Eleven
States experienced a decline. Georgia
had the largest decline (down 4.6%),
followed by Maryland (down 2.4%),
Louisiana (down 2.3%), and Mississippi (down 2.2%).

Region and
jurisdiction

In absolute numbers four jurisdictions
grew by at least 2,000 inmates during
2005, including the Federal system (up
7,290), Florida (up 4,235), California
(up 4,120), and Alabama (up 2,001).
Georgia and New York had the largest
drop in inmates (down 2,355 and
1,008, respectively).
Overall, the number of inmates under
jurisdiction in the West grew 3.2%,
followed by those in the Midwest
(1.6%), the Northeast (1.1%), and the
South (1.0%).
Prison incarceration rate reached
491 per 100,000 residents in 2005,
up from 411 in 1995
Eleven States exceeded the national
prison incarceration rate of 491 per
100,000 residents, led by Louisiana
(797), Texas (691), Mississippi (660),
and Oklahoma (652) (table 4). Seven
States, led by Maine (144), Minnesota
(180), and Rhode Island (189), had
rates that were less than half the
national rate.
Since 1995 the sentenced inmate population in State prisons has increased
an average 3.0% per year. During this
period, 12 States had an average
annual growth of at least 5%, led by
North Dakota (up 9.3%), West Virginia
(up 7.9%), and Oregon (up 7.5%).
Between 1995 and 2005 the Federal
system grew an average of 7.1% per
year. In absolute numbers this is an
average annual increase of 8,251
inmates.

Percent change from —
12/31/04 to 6/30/05 to
12/31/2004 12/31/2005 12/31/2005

12/31/2005

06/30/2005

1,525,924

1,513,213

1,497,100

1.9%

0.8%

187,618
1,338,306

184,484
1,328,729

180,328
1,316,772

4.0%
1.6

1.7%
0.7

Northeast
Connecticuta
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islanda
Vermonta

172,910
19,442
2,023
10,701
2,530
27,359
62,743
42,380
3,654
2,078

173,125
19,744
2,084
10,495
2,561
28,124
62,963
41,540
3,639
1,975

170,982
19,497
2,024
10,144
2,448
26,757
63,751
40,963
3,430
1,968

1.1%
-0.3
0.0
5.5
3.3
2.2
-1.6
3.5
6.5
5.6

-0.1%
-1.5
-2.9
2.0
-1.2
-2.7
-0.3
2.0
0.4
5.2

Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowab
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

254,706
44,919
24,455
8,737
9,068
49,546
9,281
30,823
4,455
1,385
45,854
3,463
22,720

252,406
44,669
24,244
8,578
9,042
49,014
9,187
31,066
4,284
1,338
44,976
3,344
22,664

250,592
44,054
24,008
8,525
8,966
48,883
8,758
31,081
4,130
1,327
44,806
3,095
22,959

1.6%
2.0
1.9
2.5
1.1
1.4
6.0
-0.8
7.9
4.4
2.3
11.9
-1.0

0.9%
0.6
0.9
1.9
0.3
1.1
1.0
-0.8
4.0
3.5
2.0
3.6
0.2

South
Alabama
Arkansas
Delawarea
Florida
Georgiab
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

606,236
27,888
13,511
6,944
89,768
48,749
19,662
36,083
22,737
20,515
36,365
24,826
23,160
26,369
169,003
35,344
5,312

606,361
27,740
13,469
7,180
87,545
47,682
18,897
37,254
23,276
20,856
36,399
23,702
23,896
26,208
171,338
35,667
5,252

600,269
25,887
13,807
6,927
85,533
51,104
17,814
36,939
23,285
20,983
35,434
24,508
23,428
25,884
168,105
35,564
5,067

1.0%
7.7
-2.1
0.2
5.0
-4.6
10.4
-2.3
-2.4
-2.2
2.6
1.3
-1.1
1.9
0.5
-0.6
4.8

0.0%
0.5
0.3
-3.3
2.5
2.2
4.0
-3.1
-2.3
-1.6
-0.1
4.7
-3.1
0.6
-1.4
-0.9
1.1

U.S. Total
Federal
State

West
304,454
296,837
294,929
3.2%
2.6%
Alaskaa
4,812
4,630
4,554
5.7
3.9
b
Arizona
33,471
32,664
32,515
2.9
2.5
California
170,676
166,532
166,556
2.5
2.5
Colorado
21,456
20,841
20,293
5.7
3.0
Hawaiia
6,146
6,071
5,960
3.1
1.2
Idaho
6,818
6,526
6,375
6.9
4.5
Montana
3,509
3,369
3,164
10.9
4.2
Nevada
11,782
11,565
11,365
3.7
1.9
New Mexico
6,571
6,595
6,379
3.0
-0.4
Oregon
13,411
13,317
13,183
1.7
0.7
Utah
6,373
6,013
5,991
6.4
6.0
Washington
17,382
16,688
16,614
4.6
4.2
Wyoming
2,047
2,026
1,980
3.4
1.0
aPrisons and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison population.
bPopulation based on custody counts.

Prisoners in 2005 3

Female prisoners increased 2.6%
during 2005; male prisoners, 1.9%

Table 4. Sentenced prisoners under the jurisdiction of State or Federal
correctional authorities, yearend 1995, 2004, and 2005
Region and
jurisdiction

Percent
change,
12/31/1995 2004-05

Average Incarcerachange, tion rate,
1995-05a 2005

12/31/2005

12/31/2004

1,461,132

1,433,728

1,085,022

1.9%

3.0%

491

166,173
1,294,959

159,137
1,274,591

83,663
1,001,359

4.4
1.6

7.1
2.6

56
435

Northeast
Connecticutb
Maine
Massachusettsc
New Hampshire
New Jerseyd
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Islandb
Vermontb

162,641
13,121
1,905
9,081
2,520
27,359
62,743
42,345
2,025
1,542

161,121
13,240
1,961
8,688
2,448
26,757
63,751
40,931
1,894
1,451

155,030
10,419
1,326
10,427
2,015
27,066
68,486
32,410
1,833
1,048

0.9%
-0.9
-2.9
4.5
2.9
2.2
-1.6
3.5
6.9
6.3

0.5%
2.3
3.7
-1.4
2.3
0.1
-0.9
2.7
1.0
3.9

298
373
144
239
192
313
326
340
189
247

Midwest
Illinoisd
Indiana
Iowad
Kansasd
Michigan
Minnesota
Missourid
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohiod
South Dakota
Wisconsin

252,845
44,919
24,416
8,737
9,068
49,546
9,281
30,803
4,330
1,327
45,854
3,454
21,110

249,545
44,054
23,939
8,525
8,966
48,883
8,758
31,061
4,038
1,238
44,806
3,088
22,189

192,177
37,658
16,046
5,906
7,054
41,112
4,846
19,134
3,006
544
44,663
1,871
10,337

1.3%
2.0
2.0
2.5
1.1
1.4
6.0
-0.8
7.2
7.2
2.3
11.9
-4.9

2.8%
1.8
4.3
4.0
2.5
1.9
6.7
4.9
3.7
9.3
0.3
6.3
7.4

383
351
388
294
330
489
180
529
245
208
400
443
380

South
Alabama
Arkansas
Delawareb
Florida
Georgiae
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahomad
South Carolina
Tennesseed
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

583,132
27,003
13,383
3,972
89,766
48,741
19,215
36,083
22,143
19,335
31,522
23,245
22,464
26,369
159,255
35,344
5,292

576,292
25,257
13,668
4,087
85,530
51,089
17,140
36,939
22,696
19,469
30,683
22,913
22,730
25,884
157,617
35,564
5,026

446,491
20,130
8,520
3,014
63,866
34,168
12,060
25,195
20,450
12,251
27,914
18,151
19,015
15,206
127,766
27,260
2,483

1.2%
6.9
-2.1
-2.8
5.0
-4.6
12.1
-2.3
-2.4
-0.7
2.7
1.4
-1.2
1.9
1.0
-0.6
5.3

2.7%
3.0
4.6
2.8
3.5
3.6
4.8
3.7
0.8
4.7
1.2
2.5
1.7
5.7
2.2
2.6
7.9

539
591
479
467
499
533
459
797
394
660
360
652
525
440
691
464
291

West
Alaskab
Arizonae
California
Coloradod
Hawaiib
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

296,341
2,781
31,411
168,982
21,456
4,422
6,818
3,509
11,644
6,292
13,390
6,269
17,320
2,047

287,633
2,632
31,106
164,933
20,293
4,174
6,375
3,164
11,280
6,111
13,167
5,915
16,503
1,980

207,661
2,042
20,291
131,745
11,063
2,590
3,328
1,999
7,713
3,925
6,515
3,447
11,608
1,395

3.0%
5.7
1.0
2.5
5.7
5.9
6.9
10.9
3.2
3.0
1.7
6.0
5.0
3.4

3.6%
3.1
4.5
2.5
6.8
5.5
7.4
5.8
4.2
4.8
7.5
6.2
4.1
3.9

431
414
521
466
457
340
472
373
474
323
365
252
273
400

U.S. Total
Federal
State

a

The average annual percentage increase from 1995 to 2005.
and jails form one integrated system. Data include total jail and prison population.
c
The incarceration rate includes an estimated 6,200 inmates sentenced to more than 1 year but
held in local jails or houses of corrections.
dIncludes some inmates sentenced to 1 year or less.
e
Population figures based on custody counts.
bPrisons

4 Prisoners in 2005

During 2005 the number of females
under the jurisdiction of State or Federal prison authorities increased by
2.6% (table 5). The number of males in
prison rose 1.9%. At yearend 2005,
107,518 females and 1,418,406 males
were in prison. Since 1995 the annual
rate of growth in female prisoners
averaged 4.6%, which was higher than
the 3.0% increase in male prisoners.
By yearend 2005 females accounted
for 7.0% of all prisoners, up from 6.1%
in 1995 and 5.7% in 1990.
Relative to their number in the U.S.
resident population, males were over
14 times more likely than females to be
incarcerated in a State or Federal
prison. At yearend 2005 there were 65
sentenced female inmates per 100,000
females in the resident population,
compared to 929 sentenced male
inmates per 100,000 males.
Since 1995 the total number of male
prisoners has grown 34%; the number
of female prisoners, 57%. At yearend
2005, 1 in every 1,538 women and 1 in
every 108 men were incarcerated in a
State or Federal prison.
Table 5. Number of prisoners under the
jurisdiction of State or Federal
correctional authorities, by gender,
yearend 1995, 2004, and 2005
All inmates
2005
2004
1995
Percent change,
2004-05
Average annual
change, 19952005
Sentenced to
more than 1 year
2005
2004
1995
Percent change,
2004-05
Incarceration rate*
2005
2004
1995

Males

Females

1,418,406
1,392,278
1,057,406

107,518
104,822
68,468

1.9%

2.6%

3.0%

4.6%

1,362,530
1,337,730
1,021,059

98,602
95,998
63,963

1.9%

2.7%

929
920
781

65
64
47

*The number of prisoners with a sentence
of more than 1 year per 100,000 U.S.
residents on December 31.

Over a third of female prisoners
held in the 3 largest jurisdictions
Texas (13,506), the Federal system
(12,422), and California (11,667) held
more than a third of all female inmates
at yearend (table 6). Oklahoma (129
sentenced female inmates per 100,000
female residents), Idaho (110), and
Mississippi (107) had the highest
female incarceration rates. States with
the lowest female incarceration rates
were concentrated in the Northeast,
led by Rhode Island (with 10 sentenced female prisoners per 100,000
female residents), Massachusetts (12),
and Maine (17).
Thirteen States had an average annual
increase in the female prison population of more than 10% between 1995
and 2005, led by North Dakota
(18.2%), Idaho (14.1%), and West Virginia (14.0%). During this period the
State female prison population
increased an average of 4.5% per
year; the Federal female prison population increased 5.3% per year.
Privately operated prisons held
7.0% of State and Federal inmates
in 2005
Since yearend 2000 the number of
Federal inmates held in private facilities increased 74.2%, while the number held in State facilities increased
7.2%. As a percentage of all inmates
under State and Federal jurisdiction,
the number held in private facilities has
increased slightly to 7.0% in 2005.

2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000

Number of inmates in
privately operated facilities Percent of
Total
State Federal all inmates
107,447 80,401 27,046
7.0%
98,628 73,860 24,768
6.6
95,707 73,842 21,865
6.5
93,912 73,638 20,274
6.5
91,953 72,702 19,251
6.5
90,542 75,018 15,524
6.5

At yearend 2005, 33 States and the
Federal system reported a total of
107,447 prisoners held in privately
operated prison facilities (table 7). Private facilities held 6.0% of all State
prisoners and 14.4% of Federal prisoners. Among States, Texas (with 17,517
State inmates housed in private facili-

Table 6. Female inmates under the jurisdiction of State or Federal correctional
authorities, yearend 1995, 2004, and 2005
Percent change
Region and
jurisdiction
U.S. total

Number of female inmates
2005
2004
1995

2004 to
2005

Average,
1995 to 2005a

Incarceration
rate, 2005b

107,518

104,822

68,468

2.6%

4.6%

65

12,422
95,096

12,164
92,658

7,398
61,070

2.1
2.6

5.3
4.5

7
58

9,202
1,489
129
788
133
1,449
2,802
2,029
231
152

8,910
1,488
125
741
119
1,470
2,789
1,827
208
143

8,401
975
36
656
109
1,307
3,615
1,502
157
44

3.3%
0.1
3.2
6.3
11.8
-1.4
0.5
11.1
11.1
6.3

0.9%
4.3
13.6
1.9
2.0
1.0
-2.5
3.1
3.9
13.2

28
43
17
12
20
32
28
32
10
30

Midwest
Illinois
Indianac
Iowa
Kansas
Michiganc
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

16,855
2,725
1,884
800
674
2,111
604
2,511
423
155
3,260
356
1,352

16,545
2,750
1,892
757
620
2,113
544
2,507
369
129
3,185
292
1,387

10,864
2,196
892
425
449
1,842
217
1,174
211
29
2,793
134
502

1.9%
-0.9
-0.4
5.7
8.7
-0.1
11.0
0.2
14.6
20.2
2.4
21.9
-2.5

4.5%
2.2
7.8
6.5
4.1
1.4
10.8
7.9
7.2
18.2
1.6
10.3
10.4

50
42
59
53
49
41
23
84
44
49
55
90
45

South
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
Floridac
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolinac
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennesseec
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

45,140
1,965
1,144
555
6,153
2,893
2,004
2,309
1,097
1,786
2,589
2,455
1,514
2,022
13,506
2,668
480

44,789
1,748
962
557
5,660
3,436
1,560
2,386
1,180
1,796
2,430
2,484
1,562
1,905
13,958
2,706
459

27,366
1,295
523
358
3,660
2,036
734
1,424
1,079
791
1,752
1,815
1,045
637
7,935
1,659
129

0.8%
12.4
18.9
-0.4
8.7
-15.8
28.5
-3.2
-7.0
-0.6
6.5
-1.2
-3.1
6.1
-3.2
-1.4
4.6

5.1%
4.3
8.1
4.5
5.3
3.6
10.6
5.0
0.2
8.5
4.0
3.1
3.8
12.2
5.5
4.9
14.0

75
79
78
44
67
63
90
99
35
107
42
129
64
66
97
69
52

West
Alaska
Arizona
Californiac
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyomingc

23,899
465
2,896
11,667
2,120
732
791
354
944
666
1,015
572
1,455
222

22,414
397
2,765
11,188
1,900
699
647
323
878
581
985
511
1,330
210

14,439
243
1,432
9,082
713
312
212
112
530
278
465
161
793
106

6.6%
17.1
4.7
4.3
11.6
4.7
22.3
9.6
7.5
14.6
3.0
11.9
9.4
5.7

5.2%
6.7
7.3
2.5
11.5
8.9
14.1
12.2
5.9
9.1
8.1
13.5
6.3
7.7

66
57
85
62
91
70
110
75
78
63
55
45
45
88

Federal
State
Northeast
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusettsc
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont

a

The average annual percent increase from 1995 to 2005.
The number of female prisoners with a sentence of more than 1 year per 100,000 U.S. residents.
cGrowth from 1995 to 2005 may be slightly overestimated due to a change in reporting from custody to jurisdiction counts.
b

Prisoners in 2005 5

ties) and Florida (with 6,261) reported
the largest populations in 2005.
Five States had at least 25% of their
prison population housed in private
prisons, led by New Mexico (43%),
Wyoming (41%), Hawaii (31%), Alaska
(28%), and Montana (26%).
At yearend 2005, 8.5% of State
inmates in the South and 7.2% in the
West were in privately operated facilities. The Northeast (2.1%) and Midwest (1.2%) had the lowest percentage
of State inmates in private facilities.
In 2005 local jails held almost
5% of State and Federal prisoners
At the end of 2005, 35 States and the
Federal system reported a total of
73,097 State and Federal prisoners
held in local jails or other facilities
operated by county or local authorities.
These inmates held in local jails represented 4.8% of all prisoners in 2005.
Louisiana had the largest percentage
of its State inmate population housed
in local jails (45%). Four other states
had at least a fifth of their population
housed in local jails: Kentucky (29%),
Tennessee (27%), West Virginia
(24%), and Mississippi (22%).
Among State prisoners in the South,
10.0% were held in local jails. In the
West, 2.1% of State prisoners were in
local jails, and in the Midwest and
Northeast both had 1.2% of their State
prisoners in local jails.
From yearend 2000 to 2005 the number of Federal inmates held in local
jails decreased by more than half,
while the number of State inmates in
local jails rose about 19%.
Number of State and Federal inmates held in local jails Percent of
Total
State
Federal all inmates
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000

73,097
74,445
73,440
72,550
70,681
63,140

72,053
73,246
70,162
69,173
67,760
60,702

6 Prisoners in 2005

1,044
1,199
3,278
3,377
2,921
2,438

4.8%
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
4.5

Table 7. State and Federal prisoners held in private facilities
or local jails, by jurisdiction, yearend 2004 and 2005
Region and
jurisdiction
U.S. total

2005

Private facilities
Percent of
2004 inmatesa

73,097

74,445

4.8%

1,044
72,053

1,199
73,246

0.6
5.4

2.1%
0
1.0
0
0
9.5
0
1.2
0
21.6

1,990
~
0
212
13
1,754
11
0
~
~

1,555
~
0
236
9
1,258
52
0
~
~

1.2%
~
0.0
2.0
0.5
6.4
0.0
0.0
~
~

3,477
0
641
0
0
480
307
0
0
35
1,929
6
79

1.2%
0
0.5
0
0
0
8.2
0
0
3.4
4.5
0.3
0.1

3,171
0
1,695
0
0
53
674
0
0
45
0
99
605

3,267
0
2,024
0
0
52
484
0
0
43
0
42
622

1.2%
0.0
6.9
0.0
0.0
0.1
7.3
0.0
0.0
3.2
0.0
2.9
2.7

51,823
320
0
0
6,261
4,778
2,224
2,952
129
4,779
210
5,908
14
5,162
17,517
1,569
0

48,267
244
0
0
4,328
4,693
1,746
2,921
127
4,744
212
5,905
6
5,105
16,668
1,568
0

8.5%
1.1
0
0
7.0
9.8
11.3
8.2
0.6
23.3
0.6
23.8
0.1
19.6
10.4
4.4
0

60,621
2,281
1,056
~
41
4,948
5,674
16,183
142
4,426
0
1,850
384
7,112
10,569
4,679
1,276

62,966
1,645
1,230
~
42
5,117
5,084
17,469
135
4,624
0
1,807
429
6,577
13,228
4,502
1,077

10.0%
8.2
7.8
~
0.0
10.1
28.9
44.8
0.6
21.6
0.0
7.5
1.7
27.0
6.3
13.2
24.0

21,977
1,365
4,800
2,801
4,039
1,902
1,596
895
0
2,843
0
0
890
846

18,769
1,392
4,176
2,989
2,819
1,666
1,263
895
0
2,686
0
0
327
556

7.2%
28.4
14.3
1.6
18.8
30.9
23.4
25.5
0
43.3
0
0
5.1
41.3

6,271
~
185
2,518
393
~
569
687
148
122
48
1,246
332
23

5,458
~
186
2,452
638
~
133
687
153
0
18
1,189
1
1

2.1%
~
0.6
1.5
1.8
~
8.3
19.6
1.3
1.9
0.4
19.6
1.9
1.1

107,447

98,628

27,046
80,401

24,768
73,860

Northeast
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont

3,571
0
20
0
0
2,600
0
503
0
448

3,347
0
32
0
0
2,510
0
366
0
439

Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

3,030
0
115
0
0
0
760
0
0
47
2,075
10
23

South
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
West
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

Federalb
State

2005

Local jails
Percent of
2004 inmatesa

7.0%
14.4
6.0

~Not applicable. Prison and jails form an integrated system.
on the total number of inmates under State or Federal jurisdiction, by jurisdiction and
region.
b
Includes Federal inmates held in non-secure privately operated facilities
(7,065 in 2004 and 7,144 in 2005).
aBased

Table 8. Reported Federal and State prison capacities, yearend 2005

Region and
jurisdiction

Type of capacity measure
OperaRated
tional
Design

Custody population
as a percent of —
Highest
Lowest
capacitya
capacitya

119,371

...

...

134%

134%

Northeast
Connecticutb
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont

...
1,897
...
2,419
...
59,904
38,347
3,861
1,716

...
1,897
...
2,238
25,949
61,330
38,347
3,861
1,716

...
1,897
7,778
2,213
...
53,843
38,347
4,054
1,355

...
103%
133
100
89
103
108
84
94

...
103%
133
109
89
117
108
88
120

Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsinc

33,801
17,590
...
9,357
...
...
...
...
1,005
35,531
...
...

33,801
24,167
...
...
49,837
8,203
30,788
3,969
952
...
3,445
17,325

29,861
...
7,238
...
...
...
...
3,175
1,005
...
...
...

133%
94
121
97
99
97
99
111
126
121
97
127

150%
129
121
97
99
97
99
139
134
121
97
127

...
13,500
6,679
...
...
12,301
19,371
...
22,403
...
24,145
...
20,122
162,075
31,358
3,655

25,206
13,283
6,665
88,156
47,542
12,301
20,050
22,647
...
...
24,145
23,169
19,670
158,024
...
4,226

12,444
12,610
5,475
66,641
...
12,301
...
...
...
31,500
24,145
...
...
162,075
...
3,655

95%
92
102
98
103
103
97
100
72
116
95
97
96
86
93
96

193%
99
124
130
103
103
100
100
72
116
95
97
98
88
93
110

3,098
28,077
...
...
...
5,845
...
11,063
...
...
...
12,992
1,283

3,206
33,938
164,159
14,153
3,487
5,553
1,591
20,895
6,713
12,646
6,203
15,014
1,260

...
30,051
87,250
12,836
2,451
5,845
...
7,766
6,227
12,646
6,411
15,014
1,231

107
84
102
120
110
80
121
56
98
102
79
112
97

111%
102
193
133
157
84
121
150
106
102
82
129
102

Federal

South
Alabamad
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippie
North Carolinaf
Oklahomae
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texasc
Virginia
West Virginia
West
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montanae
Nevadae
New Mexicoe
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

... Data not available.
counts are based on the number of inmates held in facilities operated by the
jurisdiction. Excludes inmates held in local jails, in other States, or in private facilities.
b
Connecticut no longer reports capacity because of a law passed in 1995.
cExcludes capacity of county facilities and inmates housed in them.
dDesign capacity defined as the original design capacity.
e
Includes capacity of private and contract facilities and inmates housed in them.
f
Reported standard operating capacity. See jurisdiction notes.
aPopulation

23 States and the Federal system
operated at or above highest
capacity
To estimate the capacity of their prisons, jurisdictions were asked to supply
three measures for capacity at yearend
2005: rated, operational, and design
capacities. These measures were
defined as follows:
Rated capacity is the number of beds
or inmates assigned by a rating official
to institutions within the jurisdiction.
Operational capacity is the number of
inmates that can be accommodated,
based on a facility's staff, existing programs, and services.
Design capacity is the number of
inmates that planners or architects
intended for the facility.
Twenty-three jurisdictions gave only 1
measure or the same figure for each
measure (table 8). For the 27 jurisdictions with more than 1 reported type of
capacity, estimates of population as a
percent of capacity are based on the
highest and lowest figures provided.
At yearend 2005, 26 States reported
that they were operating below 100%
of their highest capacity, and 23 States
and the Federal prison system
reported operating at 100% or more of
their highest capacity. Nevada, operating at 56% of its highest capacity,
Table 9. State prison population as a
percent of capacity, 1995-2005
State prisons
Highest capacity
Lowest capacity

1,212,576
1,049,421

Population as a
percent of capacity*
Highest
1995
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

114
100
101
101
100
99
99

Lowest
1995
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

125
115
116
117
116
115
114

*Excludes prisoners held in local jails and
in privately operated facilities (unless
included in the reported capacity).

Prisoners in 2005 7

reported the lowest percent of capacity
occupied. Alabama and California,
both 93% over their lowest reported
capacity, had the highest percent of
capacity occupied.
At yearend 2005 the Federal prison
system was operating at 34% over
capacity. Overall, State prisons were
operating between 99% of their highest
capacity and 114% of their lowest
capacity (table 9).
60% of State and Federal inmates
black or Hispanic at yearend 2005
At yearend 2005 black inmates represented an estimated 40% of all
inmates with a sentence of more than
1 year, while white inmates accounted
for 35% and Hispanic inmates, 20%.
Although the total number of sentenced inmates rose sharply (up 35%
between 1995 and 2005), there were

small changes in the racial and Hispanic composition of the inmate population.
At yearend 2005, black males
(547,200) outnumbered white males
(459,700) and Hispanic males
(279,000) among inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year (table 10).
About 40% of all male inmates sentenced to more than 1 year were black.
Percent of State or
Federal prisonersa
1995
2005
Total
Hispanic
One raceb
White
Black
Other races
Two or more racesb

100%
17.6

100%
20.2

33.5
45.7
3.2
--

34.6
39.5
2.7
3.0

a

Based on jurisidiction counts of inmates with a
sentence of more than 1 year.
b
Excludes Hispanics.
--Not collected.

Table 10. Number of sentenced prisoners under State or Federal jurisdiction,
by gender, race, Hispanic origin, and age, yearend 2005

Age
Total
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-54
55 or older

Totala
1,362,500
26,300
218,700
244,800
224,200
207,200
185,200
189,800
63,500

Number of sentenced prisoners
Males
Females
Whiteb Blackb Hispanic
Totala Whiteb
Blackb Hispanic
459,700 547,200
7,200 11,800
62,700 94,200
67,000 106,600
69,800 92,000
72,300 81,600
70,900 71,000
76,300 71,100
32,900 17,600

279,000
5,600
50,400
59,600
51,100
41,600
31,600
29,500
9,000

98,600
1,200
11,900
15,300
17,400
19,400
16,500
13,800
3,000

45,800
500
5,300
6,700
8,100
9,000
7,800
6,500
1,800

29,900
400
3,600
4,700
5,100
6,000
5,100
4,300
700

15,900
200
2,300
2,900
2,900
3,000
2,400
1,800
300

Note: Based on estimates by gender, race, Hispanic origin, and age from the 2004 Survey of
Inmates in State Correctional Facilities and updated from jurisdiction counts by gender at yearend
2005. Estimates were rounded to the nearest 100. See Methodology for details.
aIncludes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders,
and persons identifying two or more races.
b
Excludes Hispanics and persons identifying two or more races.

Table 11. Number of sentenced prisoners under State or Federal jurisdiction per
100,000 residents, by gender, race, Hispanic origin, and age, yearend 2005

Age

Totala

Total
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-54
55 or older

929
619
2,016
2,342
2,234
1,953
1,641
899
208

Number of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 residents
Males
Females
Whiteb Blackb Hispanic
Totala Whiteb
Blackb Hispanic
471
274
948
1,098
1,172
1,067
923
493
135

3,145
1,920
6,345
8,082
7,726
6,630
5,472
3,136
697

1,244
791
2,493
2,618
2,450
2,255
1,975
1,327
416

65
29
118
153
177
185
145
63
8

45
20
85
113
138
134
102
41
6

156
61
248
339
391
435
345
163
19

76
38
137
158
165
184
164
85
13

Note: Based on estimates of the U.S resident population on January 1, 2006, by gender, race,
Hispanic origin, and age. Detailed categories exclude persons identifying with two or more races.
a
Includes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders,
and persons identifying two or more races.
bExcludes Hispanics and persons identifying two or more races.

8 Prisoners in 2005

Comparisons with previous estimates
of inmates by race and Hispanic origin
are constrained by new collection
methodologies. Following guidelines
provided by the Office of Management
and Budget, estimates in 2005 were
made separately for persons identifying with one race (97%) and those
identifying with two or more races
(3%). Adoption of these guidelines
reduced the number and percent of
inmates identified as non-Hispanic
white and black.
An estimated 8% of black males,
age 25 to 29 in prison in 2005
When incarceration rates are estimated separately by age group, black
males in their twenties and thirties are
found to have high rates relative to
other groups (table 11). Expressed in
terms of percentages, 8.1% of black
males age 25 to 29 were in prison on
December 31, 2005, compared to
2.6% of Hispanic males and about
1.1% of white males in the same age
group.
Although incarceration rates drop with
age, the percentage of black males
age 45 to 54 in prison at yearend 2005
was 3.1% — a rate higher than the
highest rate among Hispanic males
(2.6% for those age 25 to 29), and
more than twice the highest rate
among white males (1.2% for those
age 30 to 34).
Female incarceration rates, though
substantially lower than male incarceration rates at every age, reveal similar
racial and ethnic differences. Black
females (with an incarceration rate of
156 per 100,000) were more than
twice as likely as Hispanic females (76
per 100,000) and over 3 times more
likely than white females (45 per
100,000) to have been in prison on
December 31, 2005. These differences
among white, black, and Hispanic
females were consistent across all age
groups.

Half of State prisoners were violent
offenders

Table 12. Estimated number of sentenced prisoners under State jurisdiction,
by offense, gender, race, and Hispanic origin, yearend 2003

In absolute numbers an estimated
650,400 inmates in State prison at
yearend 2003 (the latest available
offense data) were held for violent
offenses: 151,500 for murder, 176,600
for robbery, 124,200 for assault, and
148,800 for rape and other sexual
assaults (table 12). In addition,
262,000 inmates were held for property offenses, 250,900 for drug
offenses, and 86,400 for public-order
offenses.

Offense

Overall, the proportion of violent
offenders increased from 47% in 1995
to 52% in 2003. Property offenders
decreased from about 23% in 1995 to
21% in 2003; drug offenders
decreased from 22% to 20%.

Total
Violent
Property
Drug
Public-order
Other

Percent of sentenced
inmates
1995
2003
100%
100 %
46.5
51.8
22.9
20.9
21.5
20.2
8.7
6.9
0.3
0.5

Offenses of State prisoners varied
by gender, race, and Hispanic origin
More than half (53%) of male State
prisoners were serving time for a violent offense in 2003, compared to
around a third (35%) of female prisoners (table 13). Females were more
likely than males to be serving time for
property offenses (30% compared to
20%) and drug offenses (29% compared to 19%).
Offense types also varied by race and
Hispanic origin. Approximately half of
white, black, and Hispanic State
inmates were violent offenders. White
prisoners were more likely to be serving time for a property offense (27%),
compared to blacks (18%) and Hispanics (17%). Nearly a quarter of black
State inmates (24%) and Hispanic
inmates (23%) were drug offenders,
compared to a seventh of white
inmates (14%).

Total

All inmates

Male

1,256,400 1,173,600

Female

Whitea

Blacka

Hispanic

82,800

453,400 562,100

219,200

Violent offenses
Murderb
Manslaughter
Rape
Other sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent

650,400
151,500
17,700
61,300
87,500
176,600
124,200
31,700

621,600
142,800
15,900
60,800
86,300
169,600
116,900
29,300

28,800
8,700
1,800
500
1,200
7,000
7,300
2,400

227,100 294,000
46,900
72,200
7,100
7,600
31,500
21,900
49,300
20,000
39,500 106,300
40,000
53,400
12,700
12,600

116,600
28,600
2,600
6,700
16,600
28,300
28,100
5,600

Property offenses
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property

262,000
137,600
49,000
20,600
30,400
24,400

237,100
132,100
41,200
19,500
21,700
22,600

24,900
5,500
7,800
1,100
8,700
1,800

120,100 100,700
61,000
53,600
21,900
20,400
8,200
7,000
16,700
11,100
12,300
8,600

37,200
21,000
6,000
4,900
2,100
3,100

Drug offenses

250,900

226,800

24,100

64,800 133,100

50,100

86,400

82,000

4,400

38,500

31,800

14,100

6,800

6,200

600

2,900

2,500

1,200

Public-order offensesc
Other/unspecifiedd

Note: Data are for inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of State
correctional authorities. The numbers of inmates by gender were based on jurisdiction counts
at yearend (NPS-1); numbers by race and Hispanic origin were based on data from the 2004
Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities; and numbers within each category by offense
were estimated using the National Corrections Reporting Program, 2003.
All estimates were rounded to the nearest 100. Detail may not add to total due to rounding.
aExcludes Hispanics.
bIncludes nonnegligent manslaughter.
cIncludes weapons, drunk driving, court offenses, commercialized vice, morals and decency
charges, liquor law violations, and other public-order offenses.
dIncludes juvenile offenses and unspecified felonies.

Table 13. Estimated percent of sentenced prisoners under State jurisdiction,
by offense, gender, race, and Hispanic origin, yearend 2003
Female

Whitea

Blacka

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

51.8%
12.1
1.4
4.9
7.0
14.1
9.9
2.5

53.0%
12.2
1.4
5.2
7.4
14.4
10.0
2.5

34.8%
10.5
2.2
0.6
1.4
8.4
8.8
2.9

50.1%
10.4
1.6
7.0
10.9
8.7
8.8
2.8

52.3%
12.8
1.4
3.9
3.6
18.9
9.5
2.2

53.2%
13.0
1.2
3.1
7.6
12.9
12.8
2.5

Property offenses
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
Other property

20.9%
11.0
3.9
1.6
2.4
1.9

20.2%
11.3
3.5
1.7
1.8
1.9

30.0%
6.6
9.4
1.3
10.5
2.2

26.5%
13.5
4.8
1.8
3.7
2.7

17.9%
9.5
3.6
1.3
2.0
1.5

17.0%
9.6
2.7
2.3
1.0
1.4

Drug offenses

Offense

All inmates

Total

100%

Violent offenses
Murderb
Manslaughter
Rape
Other sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
Other violent

Male

Hispanic

20.0%

19.3%

29.1%

14.3%

23.7%

22.9%

Public-order offensesc

6.9%

7.0%

5.3%

8.5%

5.7%

6.4%

Other/unspecifiedd

0.5%

0.5%

0.8%

0.6%

0.4%

0.5%

Note: Data are for inmates with a sentence of more than 1 year under the jurisdiction of State correctional authorities. Detail may not add to total due to rounding.
a
Excludes Hispanics.
b
Includes nonnegligent manslaughter.
c
Includes weapons, drunk driving, court offenses, commercialized vice, morals and decency
charges, liquor law violations, and other public-order offenses.
d
Includes juvenile offenses and unspecified felonies.

Prisoners in 2005 9

Changing Federal prison population
related to drug and immigration
offenses
Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses
constitute the largest group of Federal
inmates (55%) in 2003, down from
60% in 1995 (table 14). On September
30, 2003, the date of the latest available data in the Federal Justice Statistics Program, Federal prisons held
86,972 sentenced drug offenders,
compared to 52,782 at yearend 1995.
Between 1995 and 2003 the number of
Federal inmates held for public-order
offenses increased 170%, most of
which was accounted for by the
increase in immigration offenses (up
394%). The number of immigration
offenders rose from 3,420 in 1995 to
16,903 in 2003. Immigration violators
represented over 10% of Federal
inmates in 2003.
The number of weapons offenders
held in Federal prisons increased
about 120% (from 7,446 to 16,377)
between 1995 and 2003. Weapons
offenders represented about 10% of
the Federal inmate population in 2003.

Violent offenders under Federal jurisdiction increased 46% from 1995 to
2003, and accounted for almost 8% of
the total growth during the period.
Homicide offenders increased 146%,
from 1,068 in 1995 to 2,632 in 2003.

While the number of offenders in each
major offense category increased, the
number incarcerated for a drug offense
accounted for the largest percentage
of the total growth (49%), followed by
public-order offenders (38%).

Table 14. Number of sentenced inmates in Federal prisons, by most serious
offense, 1995, 2000, and 2003

Offense
Total

Number of sentenced inmates
in Federal prisons
2003
2000
1995

Percent
change,
1995-2003

Percent of
total growth,
1995-2003

158,426

131,739

88,658

78.7%

100%

Violent offenses
Homicidea
Robbery
Other violent

16,688
2,632
10,398
3,658

13,740
1,363
9,712
2,665

11,409
1,068
8,377
1,964

46.3%
146.4
24.1
86.3

7.6%
2.2
2.9
2.4

Property offenses
Burglary
Fraud
Other property

11,283
567
8,241
2,475

10,135
462
7,506
2,167

7,842
177
5,823
1,842

43.9%
220.3
41.5
34.4

4.9%
0.6
3.5
0.9

Drug offenses

86,972

74,276

52,782

64.8%

49%

Public-order
Immigration
Weapons
Other

42,325
16,903
16,377
9,045

32,325
13,676
10,822
7,827

15,655
3,420
7,446
4,789

170.4%
394.2
119.9
88.9

38.2%
19.3
12.8
6.1

1,158

1,263

970

19.4%

0.3%

Other/unspecifiedb

Note: All data are from the BJS Federal justice database. Data are for September 30 and
based on sentenced inmates, regardless of sentence length.
aIncludes murder, nonnegligent manslaughter, and negligent manslaughter.
bIncludes offenses not classified.

The number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees increased 2.6% during 2005
The U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) reported 19,562 detainees on
December 31, 2005, up from 19,057 at yearend 2004.
Nearly two-thirds of these detainees (12,509) were held in
Federal or State prisons and local jails. About a fifth were
held in ICE-operated facilities (3,782) and private facilities
under exclusive contract to ICE (2,365).
The number of detainees under ICE jurisdiction more than
doubled between 1995 and 2005. This increase most
affected State prisons, local jails, and other facilities
maintaining intergovernmental agreements with ICE.
These facilities held 12,509 detainees in 2005, up from
2,286 in 1995.
Among the 19,562 detainees held for immigration
violations at yearend 2005, 10,153 had been convicted of
criminal offenses, and 1,583 had pending criminal cases

10 Prisoners in 2005

(not shown in table). Detainees convicted of violent
offenses (28.0%) and drug offenses (28.7%) constituted
the largest groups under ICE jurisdiction, followed by
public-order offenses (19.2%) and property offenses
(15.3%).
Detainees under the jurisdiction of the Bureau
of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
by type of facility, yearend 1995, 2004, and 2005
Facility type

Number of detainees
2005
2004
1995

Percent
change,
2004-05

Total
ICE-operated facilities
Private facilities under exclusive
contract to ICE
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Other Federal facilities

19,562
3,782

19,057
4,545

8,177
3,776

2.6%
-16.8

2,365
860
46

1,678
1,214
50

652
1,282
181

40.9
-29.2
-8.0

Intergovernmental agreements
State prisons
Local jails
Other facilities

12,509
276
8,322
3,911

11,570
178
7,877
3,515

2,286
8
1,984
294

8.1%
55.1
5.6
11.3

Number of prisoners held by military authorities up 6.7% during 2005
There were 2,322 prisoners under military jurisdiction at
yearend 2005. Fifty-eight percent of the prisoners held
by the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
Guard had a sentence of 1 year or more. At yearend
2005 the Army’s disciplinary barracks, Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, and six other local or regional
Army facilities held the largest share of inmates under
military jurisdiction (41%). The 6 Marine Corps facilities
held 23% of all inmates; the 34 Air Force facilities held
18% of all inmates; and the 11 Navy facilities held 17%
of all inmates.
The operational capacity of the 58 military confinement
facilities was 3,286 (not shown in table). At yearend
2005 these facilities were operating at 71% of their
operational capacity. About 87% of prisoners held by the
Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps were convicted
inmates; 13% were unconvicted.

Prisoners under military jurisdiction, by branch of service,
yearend 2004 and 2005
Branch of
service

Total
2005 2004

To which prisoners
belonged
Total
2,322 2,177
Air Force
422
400
Army
949
853
Marine Corps
527
495
Navy
406
409
Coast Guard
18
20
Holding prisoners
Total
Air Force
Army
Marine Corps
Navy

2,322 2,177
120
109
1,059
998
470
416
673
654

Methodology

Military Corrections Statistics

National Prisoner Statistics

BJS obtains yearend counts of prisoners in the custody of U.S. military
authorities from the Department of
Defense Corrections Council. In 1994
the council, comprised of representatives from each branch of military service, adopted a standardized report
(DD Form 2720) with a common set of
items and definitions. This report gives
data on persons held in U.S. military
confinement facilities inside and outside the continental United States, by
branch of service, gender, race, Hispanic origin, conviction status, sentence length, and offense. It also has
data on the number of facilities, their
design, and rated capacities.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS),
with the U.S. Census Bureau as its collection agent, obtains yearend and
midyear counts of prisoners from
departments of correction in each of
the 50 States and the Federal Bureau
of Prisons.
The National Prisoner Statistics (NPS)
distinguishes prisoners in custody from
those under jurisdiction. To have custody of a prisoner, a State must hold
that person in one of its facilities. To
have jurisdiction means that a State
has legal authority over the prisoner.
Prisoners under a State’s jurisdiction
may be in the custody of a local jail,
another State’s prison, or other correctional facilities. Some States are
unable to provide both custody and
jurisdiction counts.
Excluded from NPS counts are persons confined in locally administered
confinement facilities who are under
the jurisdiction of local authorities. NPS
counts include all inmates in Stateoperated facilities in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island,
and Vermont, which have combined
jail-prison systems. NPS excludes
inmates held by the District of Columbia (DC), which as of yearend 2001
operated only a jail system.

Percent
change,
2004-05

Sentenced to
Percent
more than 1 year change,
2005
2004
2004-05

6.7%
5.5
11.3
6.5
-0.7
-10.0

1,340
258
638
209
223
12

1,295
243
614
241
188
9

3.5%
6.2
3.9
-13.3
18.6
33.3

6.7%
10.1
6.1
13.0
2.9

1,340
24
818
133
365

1,295
11
811
153
320

3.5%
118.2
0.9
-13.1
14.1

located in prison or jail facilities
(inmates in custody). These counts are
collected by gender, race, Hispanic origin, and sentence length. In addition,
BJS obtains reports of the total design,
rated, and operational capacity of correctional facilities.
Estimating age-specific incarceration
rates

Other inmate counts

The number of sentenced prisoners
within each group was estimated for
men, women, whites, blacks, and Hispanics. In 2005 estimates were produced separately for inmates under
State jurisdiction by combining data by
gender from NPS and data by race and
Hispanic origin from the 2004 Survey
of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities.

In 1995 BJS began collecting yearend
counts of prisoners from the departments of correction in the U.S. Territories (American Samoa, Guam, and
U.S. Virgin Islands) and U.S. Commonwealths (Northern Mariana Islands
and Puerto Rico). These counts
include all inmates for whom the Territory or Commonwealth government
had legal authority (inmates under
jurisdiction) and all inmates physically

The Federal Justice Statistics Program
(FJSP) provided counts of sentenced
Federal inmates by age for each
demographic group at the end of fiscal
year 2003. The NPS provided counts
of sentenced Federal inmates by gender at yearend 2005 and counts by
race and Hispanic origin at midyear
2005. The FJSP counts were converted to percentages and multiplied
by the NPS totals at yearend 2005.

Prisoners in 2005

11

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

*NCJ~215092*

PRESORTED STANDARD
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
DOJ/BJS
Permit No. G-91

Washington, DC 20531

Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300

Estimates of the U.S. resident population for January 1, 2006, by age, gender, race and Hispanic origin were
obtained from the U.S. Census
Bureau. Age-specific rates of incarceration for each demographic group
were calculated by dividing the estimated number of sentenced prisoners in each age group by the number
of U.S. residents in each age group
and then multiplying by 100,000.
Detailed categories exclude persons
identifying with two or more races.
Totals by gender include all inmates
and U.S. residents, regardless of
racial identification.

This report in portable document
format and in ASCII and its related
statistical data and tables are
available at the BJS World Wide
Web Internet site: <http://
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/
p05.htm>

Office of Justice Programs
Partnerships for Safer Communities
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov

The Bureau of Justice Statistics is
the statistical agency of the U.S.
Department of Justice. Jeffrey L.
Sedgwick is director.
BJS Bulletins present the first
release of findings from permanent
data collection programs.
This Bulletin was written by Paige
M. Harrison and Allen J. Beck.
Todd M. Minton verified the report.
Tina Dorsey and Carolyn Williams
edited the report, under the
supervision of Doris J. James.
Jayne Robinson prepared the
report for final printing.
November 2006, NCJ 215092

12 Prisoners in 2005

NPS jurisdiction notes
Alaska — Prisons and jails form one
integrated system. All NPS data include jail
and prison populations. Counts exclude
individuals in electronic and special
monitoring programs.

Illinois — Population counts are based on
jurisdiction data. Counts of inmates with a
sentence of more than 1 year include an
undetermined number with a sentence of 1
year.

Arizona — Population counts are based
on custody data. Counts exclude 64
sentenced inmates housed in contracted
local jail facilities, some awaiting transfer to
the DOC.

Iowa — Population counts are based on
custody data. Counts of inmates with a
sentence of more than 1 year include an
undetermined number with a sentence of 1
year or less.

Inmates held in other States are excluded
from counts.

Kansas — Population counts of inmates
with a sentence of more than 1 year
include an undetermined number with a
sentence of 1 year or less.

California — Population counts include
felons and civil addicts who are temporarily
absent, such as in court, jail or hospital.
Colorado — Population counts include
207 male and 11 female inmates in the
Youthful Offender System.
Capacity figures exclude 6 privately run
facilities under contract with the
Department of Corrections.
Connecticut — Prisons and jails form one
integrated system. All NPS data include jail
and prison populations.
Legislation in 1995 abolished the capacity
law so that prisons no longer have a rated
or operational capacity. Design capacity is
recorded separately in each facility.
Delaware — Prisons and jails form one
integrated system. All NPS data include
jail and prison populations. Jurisdiction
counts exclude inmates housed in facilities
in other States.
Capacity counts include Department of
Correction halfway houses.
Federal — Custody counts include
inmates housed in privately operated
secure facilities under contract with BOP or
with State or local government that has an
intergovernmental agreement. Custody
counts exclude offenders under home
confinement.
Rated capacity excludes contract beds.
Georgia — Population counts are based
on custody data, including inmates in
privately operated facilities.
Facilities in Georgia are not given rated or
design capacities.
Hawaii — Prisons and jails form one
integrated system. All NPS data include
jail and prison populations.
Idaho — Rated capacity is defined as
100% of the maximum capacity;
operational capacity as 95% of the
maximum.

Louisiana — Counts are as of December
28, 2005. Counts include 16,069 males
and 1,400 females housed in local jails as
a result of a partnership with the Louisiana
Sheriffs' Association and local authorities.
Massachusetts — By law, offenders may
be sentenced to terms of up to 2 1/2 years
in locally operated jails. Such offenders
are included in counts and rates for local
jails. About 6,200 inmates with sentences
of more than 1 year were held in local jails
in 2005.
Michigan — Operational capacity includes
institution and camp net capacities and
populations in community programs.
Minnesota — Counts include inmates
housed in local jails, on work release or
community work programs, or housed in a
private contract facility.
Mississippi — Operation and design
capacities include private prison
capacities.
Missouri — Design capacities are not
available for older prisons. Operational
capacity is defined as the number of
available beds including those temporarily
off-line.
Montana — Capacity figures include 2
county operated regional prisons (an
estimated 300 beds), 1 private prison (500
beds), and a State operated boot camp (60
beds).
Nebraska — Operational capacity is
defined as stress capacity (or 125% of
design capacity), which is ordered by the
governor and set by the Department of
Corrections.
Nevada — Rated capacity is defined as
emergency capacity. Design capacity is
defined as one bed per cell.
New Jersey — Population counts of
inmates with a sentence of more than 1
year include an undetermined number with
a sentence of 1 year.

North Carolina — Capacity figures refer to
standard operating capacity, based on
single occupancy per cell and 50 square
feet per inmate in multiple occupancy units.
Ohio — Population counts of inmates with
a sentence of more than 1 year include an
undetermined number with a sentence of 1
year or less.
Oklahoma — Population counts exclude
inmates awaiting transfer in local jails.
Capacity figures include private prisons
and contract jails.
Oregon — Inmates with under a 1 year
maximum sentence remain under the
control of local counties.
Rhode Island — Prisons and jails form
one integrated system. All NPS data
include jail and prison populations.
South Carolina — Population counts
include 25 inmates who were unsentenced, under safekeeping, or ICE status.
South Dakota — Operational capacity is
planned capacity. Rated and design
capacities are not recognized.
Tennessee — Population counts of
inmates with a sentence of more than 1
year include an undetermined number with
a sentence of 1 year.
Texas — Jurisdiction counts include
inmates serving time in a pre-parole
transfer (PPT) or intermediary sanctions
facility (ISF), substance abuse felony
punishment facility (SAFPF), temporary
releases to counties, and paper-ready
inmates in local jails.
Capacity figures include public, privately
operated, and county contracted facilities
that are State funded. Non-contracted
county jail beds are excluded.
Vermont — Prisons and jails form one
integrated system. All NPS data include jail
and prison populations.
Virginia — Rated capacity is the DOC
count of beds, which takes into account the
number of inmates that can be
accommodated based on staff,
programming, services, and design.
Washington — A recently revised law
allows increasing numbers of inmates with
sentences of less than 1 year to be housed
in prison.
Wisconsin — Operational capacity
excludes contracted local jails, Federal,
other State, and private facilities.
Counts include 886 offenders admitted as
temporary probation and parole
placements.

Prisoners in 2005

13