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Tennessee Report

Tennessee

IMPRISONMENT IN TENNESSEE

At year-end 2004, Tennessee prisons housed 25,884 inmates serving sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 23,979 were male and 1,905 were female. Tennessee ranked 21st in its 2004 female imprisonment rate with 63 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, and 19th in its 2004 overall imprisonment rate with 437 prisoners per 100,000 residents.

In 1977, Tennessee prisons housed 232 female inmates; by 2004, the female prison population had reached 1,905. Tennessee's female prison population was at its lowest with 232 female prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 1,905 female inmates in 2004.

GROWTH IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE

Between 1977 and 2004, Tennessee's female prison population grew by 721% with an average annual percent change of 9.1% per year.

Tennessee began the period of 1977 through 2004 with a female imprisonment rate that was slightly higher than the average female imprisonment rate across the states. In the mid-1980s as female imprisonment rates typically continued to grow, Tennessee's rate stabilized with minimal annual growth. Toward the end of the 1990s, Tennessee's female imprisonment rate began to grow quite substantially, so that by 2004, Tennessee's imprisonment rate was once again higher than the average across states. With a female imprisonment rate of 63 female prisoners per 100,000 female residents, Tennessee ranked 21st in 2004.

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. Tennessee's 1977 ratio was lower than average with 23 male prisoners for every female prisoner. By 2004, Tennessee's male to female imprisonment ratio (13:1) was equal to the average across states.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

According to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, Tennessee has 15 correctional facilities. Of Tennessee's 15 correctional facilities, 12 house male prisoners only, two house female prisoners only, and one houses both male and female prisoners.