Profile of Prison Inmates, 2016 - Survey of Prison Inmates

1 Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report DECEMBER 2021 NCJ 255037. Survey of Prison Inmates Profle of Prison Inmates , 2016. Lauren G. Beatty and Tracy L. Snell, BJS Statisticians T. hirty percent of state and federal prisoners FIGURE 1. reported that they had 5 or more incarcerations Percent of all prisoners in the United States, by number prior to the ofense for which they were being of prior incarcerations, 2016. held in 2016, including 12% who had 10 or more prior incarcerations (fgure 1). Less than a quarter of Percent of all prisoners 35. prisoners reported no history of prior incarcerations 30.

2 In 2016 (22%). In this report, prior incarcerations 25. includes sentences to serve time in a juvenile 20. correctional facility, a local or county jail, or a state 15. or federal Prison . 10. 5. Among state and federal prisoners, males were more 0. 0 1 2 4 5 9 10 or more likely than females to have extensive incarceration Number of prior incarcerations histories prior to the ofense for which they were held. About 31% of male prisoners reported 5 to 9 (19%) Note: All prisoners includes both prisoners held in state Prison and or 10 or more (12%) prior incarcerations in 2016. In those serving a sentence to federal Prison .

3 Prior incarcerations includes prior sentences to serve time in a juvenile correctional facility, a local comparison, 24% of female prisoners reported 5 to 9 or county jail, or a state or federal Prison . See appendix table 1 for (14%) or 10 or more (10%) prior incarcerations in 2016. percentages and standard errors. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Survey of Prison Inmates , 2016. HIGHLIGHTS. State prisoners Federal prisoners The percentage of state prisoners who were Almost half of federal prisoners in 2016 were serving incarcerated for a violent ofense increased between a sentence for a drug ofense (48%), while about 2004 (48%) and 2016 (56%).

4 A third were sentenced for a public order ofense Among state prisoners, males had criminal histories (31%), including weapons and immigration ofenses. that averaged nine arrests during their lifetime Male federal prisoners had more arrests during their and fve prior incarcerations, compared to females, lifetime (7 on average) than female federal prisoners who averaged eight lifetime arrests and four (5), but they had the same average number of prior prior incarcerations. incarcerations (about 3 each). On average, male state prisoners (16 years) were Male federal prisoners (12 years) in 2016 were serving serving longer sentences than female state prisoners longer sentences on average than female federal (10 years) in 2016.

5 Prisoners (8 years). State prisoners in 2016 averaged years of Federal prisoners in 2016 averaged years of education prior to admission, and almost two-thirds education prior to admission, and more than half (62%) had not completed high school. (57%) had not completed high school. While most state prisoners reported living primarily Most federal prisoners reported living primarily with with one (47%) or both (35%) parents while growing one (42%) or both (40%) parents while growing up, up, 18% spent some time living in foster homes or while nearly 10% spent some time living in foster other institutions.

6 Homes or other institutions. Statistics in this report are primarily based on Race and ethnicity self-report data collected through face-to-face interviews with a national sample of state and federal In 2016, state prisoners were equally likely to be black prisoners in the 2016 SPI. Tis report also includes (34%) or white (32%). One in 5 state prisoners were statistics of state prisoners that are based on the 2004 Hispanic (21%). About 2% of state prisoners were administration of the Survey . (See Methodology.) either American Indian or Alaska Native (1%) or Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacifc Islander (1%).

7 Demographic characteristics More than 1 in 10 state prisoners identifed with two or more races (11%). Sex and age Among federal prisoners in 2016, nearly 4 in 10 were In 2016, the majority of all prisoners in the United Hispanic (37%), while 3 in 10 were black (32%) and States (93%) were male, and this fnding was consistent 2 in 10 were white (21%). Less than 5% of federal among both state (93%) and federal (94%) prisoners prisoners were either American Indian or Alaska (table 1). In state prisons, the distribution of male and Native (2%) or Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other female prisoners remained unchanged between 2004 Pacifc Islander (2%).

8 Nearly 7% of federal prisoners and 2016. identifed as two or more races. Te average age of all prisoners in the United States Sexual orientation and gender identity was 39 in 2016. Te majority of state prisoners were ages 25 to 44 (58%): about a third were ages 25 to 34 Te majority of prisoners in the United States (96%) in (32%) and a quarter were ages 35 to 44 (26%). Another 2016 identifed as straight, which was consistent among 19% of state prisoners were ages 45 to 54. state (95%) and federal (97%) prisoners. Among state prisoners, about identifed as gay or lesbian, and Prisoners held in state Prison in 2016 were older than another identifed as bisexual.

9 Findings among those held in state Prison in 2004. Te average age of federal prisoners were similar: identifed as gay or state prisoners was 39 in 2016, compared to 35 in 2004. lesbian, and identifed as bisexual. During that time, the percentage of state prisoners who were age 44 or younger declined from 81% to 69%. Most prisoners in the United States identifed as male. Te largest decline occurred among state prisoners More than 9 in 10 state prisoners identifed as male ages 18 to 24, from 17% in 2004 to 10% in 2016. While (93%), compared to less than 1 in 10 who identifed prisoners age 65 or older (3%) accounted for the as female (7%).

10 Less than of state prisoners smallest age group in 2016, the percentage was about identifed as transgender ( ). About 94% of federal three times that observed in 2004 (1%). prisoners identifed as male, while 6% identifed as female. Te distributions of gender identity among In 2016, the average age of federal prisoners was 40. both state and federal prisoners in 2016 were consistent More than a third of federal prisoners were ages 35 with the distributions of sex. See Measurement of sexual to 44 (34%), about 5% were ages 18 to 24, and about orientation and gender identity in the 2016 Survey of 3% were age 65 or older.