New Numbers on State and Federal Correctional Facilities

Eileen Conway — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:42:00 GMT

In releasing the latest Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities this week, the Bureau of Justice Statistics provides a snapshot of prisons in the United States at the end of 2005. As summarized in the Bureau's announcement, "The report includes data on characteristics of facilities by type, size, security level, rated and design capacities, court orders, and use of private contractors. It provides data on custody populations by type of facility, gender, and facility security level. The report includes data on facility staff by gender, occupational categories, and inmate-to-staff ratios by type of facility. Program data include work activities of inmates inside prison and on work release; educational training such as basic literacy and college courses; and counseling programs such as drug and alcohol dependency and employment interviewing skills. The report compares selected findings to the 2000 census."

Medical Causes of Death in State Prisons, 2001-2004

CC Pro — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 17:08:00 GMT

Data collected under the Death in Custody Reporting Program (DCRP) indicate half of all state prisoner deaths between 2001-2004 were the result of heart diseases and cancer. This report contains the first national data collected and published on the number, characteristics, and circumstances of the 10 leading causes of state prisoner deaths.

Highlights:

Male State prisoners had a death rate 72% higher than female State prisoners
Two-thirds of the deaths involved inmates age 45 or older
Death from illness increased with time served in prison
Over 40% of prisoner deaths took place in 5 States

The full report is available here.

Prison Issues in the Criminal Justice Field : Statistics

New Numbers on State and Federal Correctional Facilities

Medical Causes of Death in State Prisons, 2001-2004