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Alabama Report

Alabama

IMPRISONMENT IN ALABAMA

At year-end 2004, Alabama prisons housed 25,257 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 23,596 were male and 1,661 were female. Alabama's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 71 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents is the 15th highest in the country. Alabama's 2004 overall imprisonment rate of 556 prisoners per 100,000 residents is the 6th highest overall imprisonment rate in the country.

In 1977, Alabama prisons housed 223 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 1,661. Alabama's female prison population was at its lowest with 223 female prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 1,917 female inmates in 2003.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Alabama's female prison population grew by 645% with an average annual percent change of 8.15% per year.

Alabama's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 71 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents was the 15th highest female imprisonment rate in the country. Although Alabama's female imprisonment growth trend tracks the average growth in female imprisonment across the states, at no point was Alabama's female imprisonment rate at or below that average. In other words, in terms of female imprisonment, between 1977 and 2004, Alabama's female imprisonment rate has always exceeded the average across states. In that regard, Alabama could be considered over-punitive in its imprisonment of female offenders. Alabama is among the 10 most punitive states in its overall imprisonment rate.

MALE TO FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATIO

The male to female imprisonment ratio indicates the number of male inmates for every female inmate. Although both female and male imprisonment rates have increased over the period of study, a shrinking ratio suggests that the number of female prisoners has increased at a faster pace. In 1977, across the states, there were an average of 26 male prisoners for every female prisoner - by 2004, this ratio had fallen to 13 male prisoners for every female prisoner. In Alabama's 1977 ratio was slightly lower than average with 24 male prisoners for every female prisoner. By 2004, Alabama's male to female imprisonment ratio (14:1) was roughly equivalent to the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, Alabama has 36 correctional facilities. Of Alabama's 36 correctional facilities, 31 house male prisoners only, 3 house female prisoners only, and 2 house both male and female prisoners.