Printer-friendly Arkansas Report

Arkansas

IMPRISONMENT IN ARKANSAS

At year-end 2004, Arkansas prisons housed 13,668 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 12,758 were male and 910 were female. Arkansas' 2004 female imprisonment rate of 65 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents is the 19th highest in the country. Arkansas' 2004 overall imprisonment rate of 495 prisoners per 100,000 residents is the 10th highest overall imprisonment rate in the country.

In 1977, Arkansas prisons housed 91 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 910. Arkansas' female prison population was at its lowest with 91 female prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 910 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Arkansas' female prison population grew by 900% with an average annual percent change of 9.5% per year.

Arkansas' 2004 female imprisonment rate of 65 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents was the 19th highest female imprisonment rate in the country. As shown in the Figure, although Arkansas' female imprisonment rate growth trend tracks the average growth in female imprisonment across the states, Arkansas' rate fluctuates more erratically - occasionally matching the average, but usually rising above. At no point was Arkansas' female imprisonment rate notably below average. In other words, in terms of female imprisonment, between 1978 and 2004, Arkansas' female imprisonment rate typically exceeded the average across states. That said, relative to other states, Arkansas is more punitive in its overall imprisonment rate (ranked 10th) than it is in its female imprisonment rate (ranked 19th).

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. Arkansas' 1977 ratio was slightly lower than average with 25 male prisoners for every female prisoner. By 2004, Arkansas' 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, Arkansas has 15 correctional facilities. Of Arkansas' 15 correctional facilities, 13 house male prisoners only, 2 house both male and female prisoners, and no facility houses only female prisoners.