NCJ Number
139616
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 12 Issue: 10 Dated: (April 1988) Pages: 9-11
Date Published
1988
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Just over 41,000 inmates are currently serving life sentences in U.S. prisons -- a 9-percent increase in 4 years -- according to a new survey for "Corrections Compendium."
Abstract
Simultaneously, the number of inmates sentenced to life without parole has grown 24 percent, from 4,299 in 1984 to 7,082 in 1988. The number of systems that have life-without- parole sentences also increased. The percentage of all prison inmates who are serving life sentences has increased from 7.6 percent in 1984 to 8.1 percent in 1988. The survey elicited responses from 49 States, the District of Columbia, the Correctional Service of Canada, and 8 Canadian Provinces or Territories. According to the survey, approximately 3.5 percent of all U.S. lifers (1,451) are female. Men serving life sentences total 40,379. Over 16,000 lifers were sentenced for first-degree murder and 8,995 for second- degree murder. Other offenses for which lifers were sentenced included kidnapping, rape, assault, robbery, arson, sex offenses, drug offenses, habitual criminals, burglary, conspiracy, escapes, manslaughter, homicide, fraud, and theft. Survey respondents reported 1,961 inmates on death row, 1.1 percent of whom were female. A chart provides survey information for each of the responding jurisdictions.