NCJ Number
128403
Date Published
1991
Length
64 pages
Annotation
The inmate population of Federal and State prisoners increased yearly by 8 percent from 1980 to 1988 resulting in prison overcrowding and court-ordered population caps.
Abstract
The total Federal and State prison population reached a record 673,565 men and women as of June 30, 1989. The total State prison population reached 618,847, representing an estimated 125 percent of average capacity. As of December 31, 1989, there were 49,049 prisoners under Federal jurisdiction, an increase of 18.3 percent over the previous year. The rated capacity of Federal facilities was 32,494 which put the population at about 164 percent of capacity. Both Federal and State governments have embarked on major efforts to deal with the increased prison population. New Federal funding is expected to result in 24,500 additional prison beds. As of May 1989, States were constructing 63,452 new beds, had secured funding for 78,094 more, and had requested funding for an additional 72,190. The increased use of illegal drugs, recidivist criminal behavior, and public frustration with crime and demand for punishment have had significant effects on the prison and jail population. The role of courts in prison overcrowding, the effect of population caps, and nonjudicial responses to overcrowding are discussed. Appendixes contain additional information on strategies to deal with prison overcrowding and on the Federal prison system. 190 footnotes