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Georgia Report

Georgia

IMPRISONMENT IN GEORGIA

At year-end 2004, Georgia prisons housed 51,089 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 47,656 were male and 3,433 were female. Georgia's 2004 female imprisonment rate of 77 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents is the 11th highest overall imprisonment rate in the country. Georgia's 2004 overall imprisonment rate of 574 prisoners per 100,000 residents is the 5th highest.

In 1977, Georgia prisons housed 493 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 3,433. Georgia's female prison population was at its lowest with 493 female prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 3,433 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Georgia's female prison population grew by 596% with an average annual percent change of 7.6% per year.

Between 1977 and 2004, Georgia's female imprisonment rate was consistently higher than average. However, its rank relative to other states has fallen quite substantially. In 1977, Georgia's imprisonment rate of 18 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents was the 3rd highest in the country. While still substantially above average in 2004, Georgia has dropped to a rank of 11th. Although no longer among the 10 most punitive states in terms of female imprisonment, Georgia remains more punitive than other states on average.

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. Georgia's 1977 ratio was lower than average with 23 male prisoners for every female prisoner. By 2004, Georgia'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, Georgia has 84 correctional facilities. Of Georgia's 84 correctional facilities, 69 house male prisoners only, seven house female prisoners only, and eight house both male and female prisoners.