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New York Report

New York

IMPRISONMENT IN NEW YORK

At year-end 2004, New York prisons housed 63,751 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 60,962 were male and 2,789 were female. New York ranked 44th in its 2004 female imprisonment rate with 28 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents and 33rd in its 2004 overall imprisonment rate with 331 prisoners per 100,000 residents.

In 1977, New York prisons housed 512 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 2,789. New York's female prison population was at its lowest with 512 female prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 3,728 female inmates in 1996.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, New York's female prison population grew by 445% with an average annual percent change of 7.1% per year.

New York's female imprisonment rate was slightly lower than the average across states from 1977 until the late 1980s. New York's female imprisonment rate growth increased quite substantially in the late 1980s and through the early 1990s before stabilizing. As female imprisonment rates grew in other states throughout the 1990s, in New York the female imprisonment rate stabilized and then fell, so that by 2004, New York was among the 10 least punitive states in its imprisonment of female offenders (ranked 44th).

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 York's 1977 ratio was substantially higher than the average across states with 37 male prisoners for every female prisoner. In 2004, New York's male to female imprisonment ratio (22:1) remained notably higher the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, New York has 72 correctional facilities. Of New York's 72 correctional facilities, 62 house male prisoners only, five house female prisoners only, and five house both male and female prisoners.