Printer-friendly Arizona Report

Arizona

IMPRISONMENT IN ARIZONA

At year-end 2004, Arizona prisons housed 31,106 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 28,561 were male and 2,545 were female. Arizona's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 89 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents is the 7th highest in the country. Arizona's 2004 overall imprisonment rate of 534 prisoners per 100,000 residents is the 9th highest overall imprisonment rate in the country.

In 1977, Arizona prisons housed 187 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 2,545. Arizona's female prison population was at its lowest with 176 female prisoners in 1979 and peaked at 2,545 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Arizona's female prison population grew by 1,261% with an average annual percent change of 10.4% per year.

Arizona's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 89 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents was the 7th highest female imprisonment rate in the country. Although Arizona's female imprisonment rate growth trend tracks the average growth in female imprisonment rates across the states, at no point was Arizona's female imprisonment rate at or below that average. In other words, in terms of female imprisonment, between 1978 and 2004, Arizona's female imprisonment rate always exceeded the average across states. Arizona is among the 10 most punitive states both in its imprisonment rate overall and in its female 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. Arizona's 1977 ratio was substantially lower than average with 16 male prisoners for every female prisoner. In 2004, Arizona's male to female imprisonment ratio (11:1) remained lower than the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, Arizona has 18 correctional facilities. Of Arizona's 18 correctional facilities, 10 house male prisoners only and 8 house both male and female prisoners. None of Arizona's 18 correctional facilities house only female inmates.