Printer-friendly Delaware Report

Delaware

IMPRISONMENT IN DELAWARE

At year-end 2004, Delaware prisons housed 4,087 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 3,872 were male and 215 were female. Delaware's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 51 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents is the 28th highest in the country. Delaware's 2004 overall imprisonment rate of 488 prisoners per 100,000 residents is the 11th highest overall imprisonment rate in the country.

In 1977, Delaware's prisons housed 41 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 215. Delaware's female prison population was at its lowest with 33 female prisoners in 1980 and peaked at 255 female inmates in 2001.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Delaware's female prison population grew by 424% with an average annual percent change of 7.4% per year.

Delaware's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 51 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents was the 28th highest female imprisonment rate and was below the average across all states. For most of the period between 1977 and 2004, Delaware's female imprisonment rate was higher than average. Delaware's imprisonment rate fluctuated over the period dropping below the average in 1997, rising again through 2001 and then falling quite substantially. Like Alaska, Delaware has a combined prison/jail population, and therefore, some prisoners serving sentences of less than one year may be included in the imprisonment rate. Delaware is the 11th most punitive state with regard to imprisonment overall, but is far more average in its imprisonment of females.

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. Delaware's 1977 ratio was substantially lower than average with 19 male prisoners for every female prisoner. By 2004, Delaware's male to female imprisonment ratio (18:1) was higher than the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, Delaware has nine correctional facilities. Of Delaware's correctional facilities, five house male prisoners only, one houses female prisoners only, and three house both male and female prisoners.