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Printer-friendly
Virginia Report
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Virginia
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IMPRISONMENT
AT A GLANCE
Imprisonment
Rate 1977: 142 (11th) Female Imprisonment Rate 1977:
9 (19th)
Imprisonment Rate 2004: 473 (15th) Female Imprisonment
Rate 2004: 71 (14th)
Total
Female Sentenced Prisoners 1977: 251
Total Female Sentenced Prisoners 2004: 2,706
Percent
Increase 1977-2004: 978%
Average Annual Percent Increase 1977-2004: 10%
Percent Increase 1999-2004: 42%
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IMPRISONMENT
IN VIRGINIA
At
year-end 2004, Virginia prisons housed 35,564 inmates serving
sentences of more than one year. Of these inmates, 32,858
were male and 2,706 were female. Virginia ranked 14th in its
2004 female imprisonment rate with 71 female prisoners per
100,000 female residents, and 15th in its 2004 overall imprisonment
rate with 473 prisoners per 100,000 residents.
In
1977, Virginia prisons housed 251 female inmates; by 2004,
the female prison population had reached 2,706. Virginia's
female prison population was at its lowest with 251 female
prisoners in 1977 and peaked at 2,706 female inmates in 2004.
GROWTH
IN FEMALE IMPRISONMENT RATE
Between
1977 and 2004, Virginia's female prison population grew by
978% with an average annual percent change of 9.7% per year.
For
much of the period from 1977 to 1990, Virginia's female imprisonment
rate closely tracked the average female imprisonment rate
across the states. Beginning in the early 1990s, Virginia's
female imprisonment growth accelerated more rapidly. By 2004,
with a female imprisonment rate of 71 female prisoners per
100,000 female residents, Virginia was among the 15 most punitive
states in its imprisonment of female offenders (ranked 14th).
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. Virginia's 1977
ratio was slightly higher than average with 27 male prisoners
for every female prisoner. By 2004, Virginia's male to female
imprisonment ratio (12:1) was slightly lower than the average
across states.
CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES
According
to the 2000 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities,
Virginia has 61 correctional facilities. Of Virginia's 61
correctional facilities, 54 house male prisoners only and
seven house female prisoners. No facilities house both male
and female prisoners.
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