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Printer-friendly
New Jersey Report
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New
Jersey
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IMPRISONMENT
AT A GLANCE
Imprisonment
Rate 1977: 78 (34th) Female Imprisonment Rate 1977:
5 (35th)
Imprisonment Rate 2004: 306 (38th) Female Imprisonment
Rate 2004: 33 (42nd)
Total
Female Sentenced Prisoners 1977: 180
Total Female Sentenced Prisoners 2004: 1,470
Percent
Increase 1977-2004: 717%
Average Annual Percent Increase 1977-2004: 9%
Percent Decrease 1999-2004: 21%
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IMPRISONMENT
IN NEW JERSEY
At
year-end 2004, New Jersey prisons housed 26,757 inmates serving
sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 25,287
were male and 1,470 were female. New Jersey ranked 42nd in
its 2004 female imprisonment rate with 33 female prisoners
per 100,000 female residents and 38th in its 2004 overall
imprisonment rate with 306 prisoners per 100,000 residents.
In
1977, New Jersey prisons housed 180 female inmates; by 2004,
the female prison population had reached 1,470. New Jersey's
female prison population was at its lowest with 176 female
prisoners in 1978 and peaked at 1,862 female inmates in 1999.
GROWTH
IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE
Between
1977 and 2004, New Jersey's female prison population grew
by 717% with an average annual percent change of 8.8% per
year.
Throughout
the period from 1977 to 2004, New Jersey's female imprisonment
rate was somewhat lower than the average female imprisonment
rate across the states. With a female imprisonment rate of
33 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, New Jersey
was among the 10 least punitive states in its imprisonment
of female offenders in 2004 (ranked 42nd).
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. New Jersey's 1977
ratio was higher than average with 29 male prisoners for every
female prisoner. In 2004, New Jersey's male to female imprisonment
ratio (17:1) remained higher than the average across states.
CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES
According
to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities,
New Jersey has 43 correctional facilities. Of New Jersey's
43 correctional facilities, 35 house male prisoners only,
four house female prisoners only, and four house both male
and female prisoners.
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