NCJ Number
81529
Date Published
1980
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Data are presented on the characteristics of the felon population in California State prisons by institution as of June 30, 1980.
Abstract
There were 23,511 persons in California State prisons as of June 30, 1980, 22,248 men and 1,263 women. The four major offense groups that composed 70.8 percent of the male felon population were robbery, 28.9 percent; homicide, 17.8 percent; burglary, 15.4 percent; and assault, 8.7 percent; The four major offense groups composing 68.3 percent of the women felon population were robbery, 21.8 percent; homicide, 19.4 percent; controlled substances and marijuana, 15.2 percent; and forgery and checks, 11.9 percent. Male felons were 39.4 percent white, 35.1 percent black, and 23.5 percent Mexican-American. Female felons were 42.3 percent white, 37.0 percent black, and 17.3 percent Mexican-American. Over half of the felons were under aged 30, with the median age for males being 28.5 years and for females 29.2 years. Eighty-four percent of the men and 93.9 percent of the women had not experienced parole. The proportion of men paroled and returned as violators (16 percent) was nearly three times the percentage for women. The percentage of women felons (18.2 percent) who had served a prior prison commitment was about half the percentage of male felons. The majority of the men (79.3 percent) and women (93.3 percent) had no prior record of escape. A total of .2 percent of the male felon population was sentenced to death. The median grade placement was 7.5 for male felons at admission and 8.3 for female felons. A total of 25.6 percent of the male felons were received under the indeterminate sentencing law and 67.6 percent under the determinate sentencing law, while 6.8 percent were received under both indeterminate and determinate sentencing laws. Female felons received under the indeterminate sentencing law composed 19.8 percent; under the determinate sentencing law, 71.9 percent; and under both sentencing laws, 8.3 percent. Tabular data are provided. (Author summary modified)