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Federal Report

Federal

IMPRISONMENT IN FEDERAL

At year-end 2004, Federal prisons housed 159,137 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 148,930 were male and 10,207 were female. In 2004, the female imprisonment rate was 7 federal prisoners per 100,000 female residents and the overall federal imprisonment rate was 54 federal prisoners per 100,000 residents. Ranking the federal imprisonment rate relative to the states is not particularly useful because the population base is so large.

In 1977, federal prisons housed 1,694 female inmates; by 2004, the federal female prison population had reached 10,207. The federal female prison population was at its lowest with 1173 female prisoners in 1980 and peaked at 10,207 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, the federal system's female prison population grew by 503% with an average annual percent change of 7.3% per year.

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 the federal system, the 1977 ratio was substantially lower than the state average with 16 male prisoners for every female prisoner. In 2004, the federal system's male to female imprisonment ratio (15:1) was slightly higher the average across the states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, the Federal Bureau of Prisons operates 84 correctional facilities. Of these 84 correctional facilities, 73 house male prisoners only, 4 house female prisoners only, and 7 house both male and female prisoners.