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Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Correctional Populations
in the United States, 1997
5.7 million adults in the United States were under
correctional supervision in 1997
1,176,900 in prison
558,000 in jail
3,266,800 on probation
690,800 on parole
1,602,000 male
132,900 female
871,500 white
816,600 black
3,195,300 male
762,300 female
2,557,500 white
1,333,300 black
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
810 Seventh Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20531
Janet Reno
Attorney General
Daniel Marcus
Acting Associate Attorney General
Correctional Populations
in the United States, 1997
Tables
Figure
Methodology 24
Supervised outside
a jail facilitya 34,869 72,977 70,239
--Not available.
a
Excludes persons supervised by a probation
or parole agency.
b
Includes only those without electronic monitoring.
c
Includes persons in work release programs,
work gangs/crews, and other work alternative
programs administered by the jail jurisdiction.
d
Includes persons under drug, alcohol, mental
health, and other medical treatment.
Table 2.2. One-day count and average daily population of jail inmates, midyear 1990-97
One-day countb 405,320 426,479 444,584 459,804 486,474 507,044 518,492 567,079
Table 2.3. Gender, race, and Hispanic origin of jail inmates, midyear 1990-97
Number of jail inmates Percent of jail inmates
Characteristic 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Total 405,320 426,479 444,584 459,804 486,474 507,044 518,492 567,079 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Gender
Male 368,002 386,865 403,768 415,600 437,600 455,400 462,500 507,200 90.8% 90.7% 90.8% 90.4% 90.0% 89.8% 89.2% 89.4%
Female 37,318 39,614 40,816 44,200 48,800 51,600 55,800 59,900 9.2 9.3 9.2 9.6 10.0 10.2 10.8 10.6
Note: Inmate counts for 1985-87 and 1994-97 are survey estimates subject
Note: Categories for black and white inmates include Hispanics.
to sampling error. For estimates of the sampling error for each year,
Inmate counts for 1985-87, 1989-92, and 1994-97 are survey
see table 2.10.
a estimates subject to sampling error. Data are estimated
Inmate counts for 1985-93 may include an unknown number of persons who
and rounded to the nearest 100.
were under jail supervision but not confined.
b
The number of adult inmates was estimated and rounded to the nearest 100.
See Methodology.
Blacks
600
400
200
Whites
0
1985 1990 1995 1997
Census
Annual Survey of Jails of Jails Annual Survey of Jails
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Number of inmates helda 405,320 426,479 444,584 459,804 486,474 507,044 518,492 567,079
Rated capacity of jailsb 389,171 421,237 449,197 475,224 504,324 545,763 562,020 581,733
Percent of rated
capacity occupiedc 104% 101% 99% 97% 96% 93% 92% 97%
Amount of capacity addedd 21,402 32,066 27,960 26,027 29,100 41,439 16,257 19,713
Note: Data for 1-day counts are for June 30, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1997; June 29 in 1990;
and June 28 in 1991 and 1996.
a
Population counts for 1990-93 could include persons supervised outside of jail facilities.
Population counts for 1994 through 1996 are for custody only.
b
Rated capacity is the number of beds or inmates assigned to facilities within each jurisdiction.
c
Percent of rated capacity occupied is based on the 1-day count of inmates. This count for 1990-93 may
include some inmates not in physical custody but under the jurisdiction of a local jail, such as inmates on electronic
monitoring, under house arrest, or in day reporting or other community service supervision programs.
d
The amount of bedspace added during the 12 months before the survey or census in each year.
Dallas County, TX 5,721 6,380 6,439 7,151 5,862 6,528 8,629 8,374 8,182 66 76 79
Maricopa County, AZ 5,717 5,679 6,732 5,503 5,542 6,520 4,910 6,252 6,252 116 91 108
Orleans Parish, LA 5,558 5,368 6,537 5,549 5,433 6,270 7,174 7,174 7,174 77 75 91
Philadelphia City, PA 5,076 5,695 5,563 4,968 5,341 5,600 3,750 5,600 5,600 135 102 99
San Diego County, CA 6,006 5,549 5,709 5,820 5,522 5,588 5,670 4,653 5,539 106 119 103
Shelby County, TN 5,247 5,264 5,568 5,091 5,153 5,297 5,512 6,364 6,532 95 83 85
Orange County, CA 5,157 5,326 5,368 5,074 5,143 5,246 3,821 3,821 3,821 135 139 140
San Bernardino County, CA 4,025 3,958 4,156 4,100 4,119 4,500 4,930 4,957 5,000 82 80 83
Santa Clara County, CA 4,174 4,213 4,588 4,161 4,314 4,317 3,774 3,774 3,774 111 112 122
Broward County, FL 3,573 3,528 4,125 3,546 3,470 4,129 3,656 3,656 3,736 98 96 110
Alameda County, CA 3,838 3,994 4,098 3,903 3,954 4,109 4,063 4,264 4,218 94 94 97
Baltimore City, MD 3,777 3,309 3,598 3,380 3,300 3,636 2,933 2,933 2,933 129 113 123
Bexar County, TX 3,099 3,058 3,683 3,569 2,821 3,491 3,640 3,640 3,670 85 84 100
Fulton County, GA 2,546 2,489 3,982 2,353 2,489 3,401 2,353 2,320 2,987 108 107 133
Sacramento County, CA 3,125 3,093 3,505 3,094 3,093 3,329 2,749 2,749 2,749 114 113 128
Orange County, FL 3,405 3,120 3,411 3,441 3,120 3,321 3,329 3,329 3,234 102 94 105
Tarrant County, TX 3,865 2,881 3,366 4,468 2,881 3,291 4,369 4,193 4,193 88 69 80
Hillsborough County, FL 2,536 2,661 3,155 2,384 2,661 2,973 2,649 2,757 2,877 96 97 110
Milwaukee County, WI 2,491 2,653 2,876 2,501 2,653 2,757 2,274 2,274 2,274 110 117 126
Wayne County, MI 2,598 2,711 2,708 2,600 2,711 2,750 2,628 2,658 2,850 99 102 95
Note: Jurisdictions are ordered by their average daily population in 1997.
a
Number of inmates held in jail facilities.
b
Based on the average daily population for the year ending June 30. The average daily population is the sum of the number
of inmates in jail each day for a year, divided by the number of days in the year.
c
Rated capacity is the number of beds or inmates assigned by a rating official to facilities within each jurisdiction.
d
The number of inmates divided by the rated capacity multiplied by 100.
Table 2.9. Standard error estimates Table 2.10. Standard error estimates for the number of inmates
for the Annual Survey of Jails, 1997 and rated capacity for the Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 1990-97
Race/Hispanic origina
White non-Hispanic 228,143 2,573 1.13 %
Black non-Hispanic 235,741 2,350 1.00
Hispanic 88,078 1,437 1.63
Otherb 9,874 357 3.62
a
Excludes persons of unknown race and Hispanic origin.
b
Includes American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians,
and Pacific Islanders.
Annual Survey of Jails Survey estimates have an associated State statutes and judicial practices allow
sampling error because jurisdictions with juveniles to be incarcerated in adult jails
In each year between the full censuses, a smaller average daily populations were under a variety of circumstances. Because
survey of jails is conducted to estimate sampled for the survey. Estimates based of the differing statutes and practices,
baseline characteristics of the Nation's jails on the sample survey may differ somewhat however, accurate and comparable data on
and the inmates housed in these jails. The from the results of conducting a complete juveniles are difficult to collect. Beginning
1996 Annual Survey of Jails is the 13th census. Different samples could yield in 1994 the Annual Jail Survey provided
such survey in a series begun in 1982. somewhat different results. Standard error estimates of the total number of jail inmates
The reference date for the 1997 survey is a measure of the variation among the under age 18, the number held as adults,
was June 30, 1997. estimates from all possible samples, stating and the number held as juveniles. New
the precision with which an estimate from a sampling procedures were also introduced
Using information from the 1993 Census particular sample approximates the in 1994 to minimize the standard errors of
of Jails, a new sample of jail jurisdictions average of all possible samples. The these estimates. By stratifying jurisdictions
was selected in 1994. A jurisdiction is an estimated relative sampling error for the based on the authority to house juveniles,
administrative unit, such as a county total inmate population of 567,079 on June the precision of the juvenile counts was
(parish in Louisiana) or municipal govern- 30, 1997, was 0.64%. (See tables 2.9 and improved.
ment that administers one or more local 2.10.)
jails. The sample included all jails in 795
selected jail jurisdictions and 25 multijuris- Measures of population
diction jails. A multijurisdiction jail is one
in which two or more jurisdictions have a Two measures of inmate population are
formal agreement to operate the facility. used: the average daily population for the
year ending June 30 and the inmate count
In the drawing of the sample in 1994, jail on June 30 of each year. The average
jurisdictions were first stratified into two daily population balances out any extraordi-
groups: single-jurisdiction jails and multiju- nary events that may render atypical the
risdiction jails. All of the multijurisdiction inmate count on June 30. The June 30
jails were included in the survey. The count provides data on characteristics of
remaining jurisdictions were then further inmates, such as race, Hispanic origin, and
stratified into two groups: jurisdictions with age, that may not be available on an annual
jails authorized to hold juveniles and juris- basis.
dictions with jails holding adults only. Juris-
dictions were then selected based on the For the first time in 1995 the Annual Survey
average daily population in the 1993 of Jails obtained separate counts of the
census. All jails in 204 jurisdictions were total number of offenders under jail jurisdic-
automatically included if the jurisdiction tion, those held in jail facilities, and those
held juveniles and had an average daily supervised outside of jail facilities. Previ-
population of 250 or more inmates in 1993 ous surveys and censuses included a small
or if it held only adults and had an average but unknown number of offenders under
population of 500 or more. The other juris- community supervision.
dictions (591) were then selected based on
stratified probability sampling. Data were
obtained by mailed questionnaires. After
follow-up phone calls to nonrespondents,
the response rate for the survey was 100%.
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