|
Printer-friendly
Pennsylvania Report
|
Pennsylvania
|
IMPRISONMENT
AT A GLANCE
Imprisonment
Rate 1977: 56 (45th) Female Imprisonment Rate 1977:
3 (44th)
Imprisonment Rate 2004: 329 (35th) Female Imprisonment
Rate 2004: 28 (43rd)
Total
Female Sentenced Prisoners 1977: 211
Total Female Sentenced Prisoners 2004: 1,820
Percent
Increase 1977-2004: 763%
Average Annual Percent Increase 1977-2004: 9%
Percent Increase 1999-2004: 12%
|
IMPRISONMENT
IN PENNSYLVANIA
At
year-end 2004, Pennsylvania prisons housed 40,931 inmates
serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates,
39,111 were male and 1,820 were female. Pennsylvania ranked
43rd in its 2004 female imprisonment rate with 28 female prisoners
per 100,000 female residents, and 35th in its 2004 overall
imprisonment rate with 329 prisoners per 100,000 residents.
In
1977, Pennsylvania prisons housed 211 female inmates; by 2004,
the female prison population had reached 1,820. Pennsylvania's
female prison population was at its lowest with 211 female
prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 1821 female inmates in 2003.
GROWTH
IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE
Between
1977 and 2004, Pennsylvania's female prison population grew
by 763% with an average annual percent change of 8.6% per
year.
Throughout
the period from 1977 to 2004, Pennsylvania's female imprisonment
rate was substantially lower than the average female imprisonment
rate across the states. With a female imprisonment rate of
28 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, Pennsylvania
is among the 10 least punitive states in its imprisonment
of female offenders (ranked 43rd).
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. Pennsylvania's 1977
ratio was notably higher than the average, with 34 male prisoners
for every female prisoner. In 2004, Pennsylvania's male to
female imprisonment ratio (21:1) remained considerably higher
than the average across states.
CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES
According
to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities,
Pennsylvania has 44 correctional facilities. Of Pennsylvania's
44 correctional facilities, 37 house male prisoners only,
4 house female prisoners only, and 3 house both male and female
prisoners.
|
|
