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Montana Report

Montana

IMPRISONMENT IN MONTANA

At year-end 2004, Montana prisons housed 3,877 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 3,404 were male and 473 were female. Montana ranked 4th in its 2004 female imprisonment rate with 102 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, and 20th in its 2004 overall imprisonment rate with 416 prisoners per 100,000 residents.

In 1977, Montana prisons housed 2 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 473. Montana's female prison population was at its lowest with 2 female prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 473 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Montana's female prison population grew by 23,550% with an average annual percent change of 39.1% per year. Much of this increase can be attributed to quite dramatic growth in the number of female prisoners throughout the late 1990s.

Throughout the period from 1977 until the late 1990s, Montana's female imprisonment rate was substantially lower than the average female imprisonment rate across the states. Beginning in the late 1990s, Montana's female imprisonment rate began to increase quite dramatically, so that by 2004, Montana had the 4th highest female imprisonment rate in the country (with 102 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents). To put this growth in perspective, Montana - one of the ten most punitive states in terms of female imprisonment in 2004 - was the least punitive state in that regard in 1977.

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. Montana's 1977 ratio was substantially higher than average with 44 male prisoners for every female prisoner. By 2004, Montana's male to female imprisonment ratio (7:1) was half that of the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, Montana has eight correctional facilities. Of Montana's eight correctional facilities, one houses male prisoners only, one houses female prisoners only, and six house both male and female prisoners.