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Printer-friendly
Maine Report
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Maine
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IMPRISONMENT
AT A GLANCE
Imprisonment
Rate 1977: 61 (42nd) Female Imprisonment Rate 1977:
2 (48th)
Imprisonment Rate 2004: 148 (50th) Female Imprisonment
Rate 2004: 18 (48th)
Total
Female Sentenced Prisoners 1977: 14
Total Female Sentenced Prisoners 2004: 120
Percent
Increase 1977-2004: 757%
Average Annual Percent Increase 1977-2004: 12%
Percent Increase 1999-2004: 114%
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IMPRISONMENT
IN MAINE
At
year-end 2004, Maine prisons housed 1,961 inmates serving
sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 1,841 were
male and 120 were female. With an female imprisonment rate
of 18 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, Maine
ranks 48th in its imprisonment rate for women. Maine's overall
imprisonment rate is similarly low; at 148 prisoners per 100,000
residents, it had the lowest imprisonment rate in the country
in 2004.
In
1977, Maine prisons housed 14 female inmates; by 2004, the
female prison population had reached 120. Maine's female prison
population was at its lowest with 10 female prisoners in 1978
and peaked at 120 females inmates in 2004.
GROWTH
IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE
Between
1977 and 2004, Maine's female prison population grew by 757%
with an average annual percent change of 11.7% per year.
Throughout
the period between 1977 and 2004, Maine's female imprisonment
rate has been substantially below average. In fact, the average
female imprisonment rate across the states has typically been
two to three times higher than the female imprisonment rate
in Maine. In 2004, Maine had the lowest overall imprisonment
rate and, with a female imprisonment rate of 18 female prisoners
per 100,000 female residents, Maine is also among the 10 least
punitive states (ranked 48th) toward female offenders.
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. Maine's 1977
ratio was substantially higher than average with 43 male prisoners
for every female prisoner. In 2004, Maine's male to female
imprisonment ratio (16:1) was only slightly higher than the
average across states.
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
According
to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities,
Maine has eight correctional facilities. Of Maine's eight
correctional facilities, six house male prisoners only and
two house both male and female prisoners. No facilities house
only female prisoners.
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