Impact of Foreign-Born Inmates on the New York State Department of Correctional Services

• NCJ Number: 185642
• Author(s): David D. Clark
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 44 pages
• Sale Source: New York State Dept of Correctional Services; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

As of December 31, 1999, 9,231 foreign-born inmates under the custody of the New York State Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) represented 13 percent of the total inmate population.

Abstract

The foreign-born inmates came from 125 different countries throughout the world, but 77 percent of inmates who claimed foreign birth came from either the Caribbean or South America. About 60 percent of foreign-born inmates came from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Cuba, or Jamaica. Foreign-born inmates were more likely to be convicted of drug offenses and more serious felonies than inmates born in the United States. The author concludes that, as the foreign-born prison population continues to increase in New York State and be imprisoned for a longer time than inmates born in the United States due to the nature of the commitment offenses, DOCS resources are being seriously strained because of the increased demand for housing and other programs. An appendix lists the foreign countries involved by region. 13 tables and 2 charts