General Information: National Prisoner Statistics, Midyear and Yearend Counts

General Information: National Prisoner Statistics, Midyear and Yearend Counts

Homepage:

DESCRIPTION: National Prisoner Statistics (NPS)

Status: Active
Frequency: Bi-annually
Latest data available: 2009

Dataset(s): This dataset is not archived at this time.

NPS has been collected by the government since 1923. The collection definitions and data items have changed occasionally over the years, as has the ability of jurisdictions to report data.

NPS produces midyear and yearend national and state-level data on the numbers of prisoners in state and federal prison facilities. Data elements include gender, race, prisoners held in private facilities and local jails, admissions and releases by type, system capacity, persons under age 18, non-citizens, and HIV status. Findings are released in the Prisoners and Prison Inmates at Midyear series.

Instruments available:

methodology

Data are collected on June 30 and December 31 from the fifty state departments of correction and the federal bureau of prisons (BOP). Data from the District of Columbiawas collected until 2001, when the district ceased operating a prison system; since 2001 dc inmates sentenced to more than 1 year are the responsibility of the bop system. Respondents are permitted to update the previous years' data when submitting the current year. Data is submitted via mail, fax, or online at a secure site.

Changes over time

The following categories were added or altered over time - admission and release categories; race and ethnicity categories (1999, 2005), inmates held in local jails due to crowding; inmates held in private facilities, local jails, or in another state (1999); person under 18 held (1998); noncitizens held (1998); HIV information (1999).

Reports

Prisoner bulletin series:

-Latest: Prisoners in 2009

Prison Inmates at Midyear series:

-Latest: Prison Inmates at Midyear 2009

HIV in Prisons series:

-Latest: HIV in Prisons, 2007-08

TREND/Historical data

Correctional Populations in the United State series – includes data tables on probation, jail, prison, and parole populations.

-1985-1998 available here:

-Previous iterations available from NCJRS and in large libraries in the government section

Prior to 1985 the series is called “Prisoners in State and Federal Institutions on December 31, xxxx”
1977-1984 available at:

Historical Statistics from 1850-1984 available here:

Historical Statistics from 1925-1986 available here:

Various trend spreadsheets from 1977-1998:

-These spreadsheets can be updated using tables from Prisoners bulletin series

DATASET(S)

BJS is currently working to make the NPS data available through an online query system. We expect to launch this tool in 2012.

General Information: Capital Punishment, NPS-8 collection

HOMEPAGE:

DESCRIPTION: Capital Punishment, National Prisoner Statistics

Status: Active
Frequency: Annually
Latest data available: 2009

Dataset(s): Available at the Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan:

The corrections unit collects data on persons held under sentence of death and persons executed during the calendar year from the state departments of correction and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Data collection on executions began in 1930; sentencing information was added in 1973.

Preliminary counts of executions carried out during the subsequent calendar year are also presented. Series provides an annual summary of the movement of prisoners received and removed from under sentence of death. Data on offenders' sex, race, Hispanic origin, education, marital status, age at time of arrest for the capital offense, legal status at time of the offense, and method of removal are presented. The page also includes information on executions, trends, and time between imposition of death sentence and execution.

Instruments available:

methodology

Data on persons under sentence of death on December 31 are obtained from the department of corrections in each jurisdiction authorizing the death penalty during the report year. Information on the status of death penalty statutes is obtained from the Office of the Attorney General in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government.
NPS-8 covers all persons under sentence of death at any time during the year who were held in a state or federal nonmilitary correctional facility. Included are capital offenders transferred from prison to mental hospitals and those who may have escaped from custody. Excluded are persons whose death sentences have been overturned by the court, regardless of their current incarceration status.

The statistics reported in this Bulletin may differ from data collected by other organizations for a variety of reasons: (1) NPS-8 adds inmates to the population under sentence of death not at sentencing but at the time they are admitted to a state or federal correctional facility; (2) If inmates entered prison under a death sentence or were reported as being relieved of a death sentence in one year but the court had acted in the previous year, the counts are adjusted to reflect the dates of court decisions (see the note on table 4 for the affected jurisdictions); and (3) NPS-8 counts are always for the last day of the calendar year and will differ from counts for more recent periods. All data in this report have been reviewed for accuracy by the data providers in each jurisdiction prior to publication.

Reports

Capital Punishment series, 1971-2009:

-Latest: Capital Punishment , 2009

TREND/HISTORICAL DATA

See above.

DATASET(S)

Available at the Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan:

-Most recent: Capital Punishment in the United States, 1973-2008

General information: Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities

HOMEPAGE:

DESCRIPTION: Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities

Status: Active
Frequency: 1974, 1979, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005
Latest data available: 2005

Dataset(s): Available at the Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan:

Conducted approximately every five to seven years, the Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities provides detailed information on the types of inmates housed, facility age and type, security level, court orders, programs, health and safety conditions, confinement space, employment, and operating costs. The Census furnishes the sampling frame for the nationwide Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities and the National Inmate Survey.

Instruments available:

METHODOLOGY

The Census includes prison and prison farms; reception, diagnostic and classification centers; facilities for parole violators; road and forestry correctional camps; facilities for youthful offenders, anddrug and alcohol treatment facilities. Jails, other local and regional detention facilities, and private facilities are excluded.

CHANGES OVER TIME

The questionnaire is modified with each survey administration to capture information on evolving issues in criminal justice and topics of greatest interest to users. Efforts are made to preserve consistency for core items to allow analysis over time.

REPORTS

Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1990:

Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1995:

Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 2000:

Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 2005:

DATASET(s)

-Most recent is the Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities, 2005:

General information: National Inmate Survey

HOMEPAGE :

Description: National Inmate Survey (NIS)

Status: Active
Frequency: 2007, 2008-09, 2011-2012 (in field now); annually as funding permits.
Latest data available: 2008-09

Dataset(s): The 2007 data will be archived this summer at the Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan:

The National Inmate Survey (NIS) is part of the BJS National Prison Rape Statistics Program that gathers mandated data on the incidence of prevalence of sexual assault in correctional facilities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108- 79). The Act requires a 10% sample of correctional facilities to be listed by incidence of sexual assault, with a minimum of one prison and one jail facility in each state. Data are collected directly from inmates in a private setting using audio computer-assisted self interview (ACASI) technology with a touch-screen laptop and an audio feed to maximize inmate confidentiality and minimize literacy issues. See Methodology in reports for sampling and weighting information.

Survey instruments available:

methodology

The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108-79) requires a 10% sample of correctional facilities to be listed by incidence of sexual assault, with a minimum of one prison and one jail facility in each state. See Methodology section in reports for sampling and weighting information, which varies by collection year. Inmates are randomized to either a survey on sexual victimization or an alternative survey on substance abuse and treatment (2007, 2008-09) or medical issues and mental health (2011-12). These questions from which are also used to pad out time for respondents completing the victimization survey quickly.

CHANGES OVER TIME

See reports below and the PREA Data Collection Activities series ( for instrument changes over time.

REPORTS

The following reports list sexual victimization rates by facility as required under the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

Sexual Victimization in State and Federal Prisons Reported by Inmates, 2007:

Sexual Victimization in Local Jails Reported by Inmates, 2007:

Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2008-09:

DATASET(S)

Data access will be restricted - the researcher must submit research questions, apply for access and upon approval, visit the complex in Michigan to run data. Researchers are limited in the data runs performed and will not be permitted to take away any version of the dataset. All output will be reviewed before being taken from the premises. Variables that can identify individuals, facilities, and even state are collapsed or stripped off to protect the confidentiality of respondents. The restrictions to access are due to the extreme sensitivity of the data. We are bound to protect the confidentiality of all respondents, and pledged to each participant that their answers would completely anonymous and untraceable back to them.

The 2007 data will be archived this summer at the Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan:

General Information: Survey of Sexual Violence

Homepage:

DESCRIPTION: Survey of Sexual Violence (SSV)

Status: Active
Frequency: Annually starting in 2004
Latest data available: These datasets are not archived at this time.

The Survey of Sexual Violence (SSV) is part of the BJS National Prison Rape Statistics Program to gather mandated data on the incidence of prevalence of sexual assault in correctional facilities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108- 79). This is an administrative data collection based on allegations of sexual victimization by other inmates or staff which are reported to correctional authorities. The collection includes an enumeration of incidents reported to state prison systems, state juvenile correctional systems, the federal prison system, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. military, and a sample of jail jurisdictions, privately operated adult prisons and jails, and facilities in Indian country. Additional information is collected on substantiated incidents on the victim(s), perpetrator(s), characteristics of the incident, and outcomes.

Instruments available:

METHODOLOGY:

The Survey of Sexual Violence (SSV) is an administrative data collection based on allegations of sexual victimization by other inmates or staff which are reported to correctional authorities. Additional information is collected on substantiated incidents on the victim(s), perpetrator(s), characteristics of the incident, and outcomes. The collection includes a enumeration of incidents reported to state prison systems, state juvenile correctional systems, the federal prison system, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. military, and a sample of jail jurisdictions, privately operated adult prisons and jails, and facilities in Indian country. Because the methodology changed slightly each year and varied between youth and adult collections, see the Methodology section in each report for additional details.

Changes over time

In 2005 BJS began gathering information on substantiated incidents of sexual victimization.

Reports

Sexual Violence Reported By Correctional Authorities series:

-Latest Sexual Victimization Reported by Adult Correctional Authorities, 2007-08:

DATASET(S)

These datasets are not archived at this time

General Information: National Survey of Youth in Custody

Homepage:

DESCRIPTION: National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC)

Status: Active
Frequency: 2008-09 (2012-13 collection planned)
Latest data available: 2008-09
Dataset(s): This dataset is not archived at this time. See information below.

The National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC)is part of the BJS National Prison Rape Statistics Program to gather mandated data on the incidence of prevalence of sexual assault in juvenile facilities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA; P.L. 108-79). The Act requires a 10% sample of juvenile facilities to be listed by incidence of sexual assault. Data are collected directly from youth in a private setting using audio computer-assisted self interview (ACASI) technology with a touch-screen laptop and an audio feed to maximize inmate confidentiality and minimize literacy issues. The first year of collection includes nearly 200 juvenile facilities, with an estimated 10,000 completed interviews with youth. The first report from the 2008-09 NSYC survey was released in January 2010.

Instruments available:

METHODOLOGY

The 2008-09 NSYC survey consisted of an audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) in which youth, using a touch-screen, interacted with a computerized questionnaire and followed audio instructions delivered via headphones. The NSYC utilized self-administered procedures to ensure the confidentiality of the reporting youths and to encourage fuller reporting of victimization. The survey made use of audio technology to provide assistance to youth with varying levels of literacy and language skills. Approximately 98% of the interviews were conducted in English; 2% in Spanish.

Administrators in each state, county, and private facility determined the type of consent required for youths to be eligible for participation. Administrators provided in loco parentis (ILP) consent in 63 facilities. In loco parentis is when administrators provide consent “in the place of the parent” to contact youth. In the remaining 132 facilities, administrators required consent from the youths’ parents or guardians (PGC). Youth in all facilities also had to assent to participate in the interview.

In each sampled PGC facility, administrators were asked 8 weeks prior to data collection to provide a roster of all adjudicated youth assigned a bed; in ILP facilities a roster was provided 4 weeks prior to data collection.

All youth were sampled in ILP facilities and in PGC facilities with 240 or fewer youth on the roster. In larger PGC facilities, all females and a random sample of males were selected. In both PGC and ILP facilities all incoming youth were added to the sample up to 4 weeks prior to the survey. Youth who had been present in the facility at least 4 weeks prior to the survey and were present at the time of the survey were considered eligible.

The result of this process yielded a sample representing 26,551 adjudicated youth held nationwide in state operated and large locally or privately operated juvenile facilities. A total of 10,263 youth participated in the survey. Of these, 1,065 received an alternative survey on drug and alcohol use and treatment, and 9,198 youth participated in the survey of sexual victimization.

CHANGES OVER TIME

Based on feedback from juvenile administrators and experts in investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect, BJS has added new items to measure the accuracy of youth self-reports, included new items to more fully understand staff sexual misconduct, developed methods to enhance response rates, and expanded the sample to include youth held in smaller facilities and facilities under contract to state juvenile correctional authorities. A new component of nsyc-2 is the collection of information about each facility and living unit. NSYC-2 will collect data on facility staffing, use of video surveillance, characteristics of youth held, and factors related to placement of youth in different living units within the facility.

REPORTS

Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2008-09:

DATASET(S)

The 2008-09 data are scheduled to be archived by the end of 2011 at the Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Science Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan:

General Information: National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP)

About the NCRP:

Status: Active

Frequency: Annual

Latest data available: 2009

Datasets(a): Archived data available at: The National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), a division of the Interuniversity Consortium for Political & Social Research (ICPSR), at:

The National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP) collects administrative data annually on prison admissions and releases and on parole entries and discharges in participating jurisdictions. Demographic information, conviction offenses, sentence length, minimum time to be served, credited jail time, type of admission, type of release, and time served are collected from individual prisoner records. The collection began in 1983 and is conducted annually. Beginning in 1999, some jurisdictions also began providing a stock file for all inmates held at yearend. About 41 states provide various types of data for this collection.

METHODOLOGY:

Administrative data are gathered annually from the Departments of Corrections and Parole in about 41 states on prisoners entering and leaving custody or supervision. Data are provided for prisoners who were admitted to prison (Part A), released from prison (Part B), or released from parole (Part C).Variables include incarceration history, current offenses, and total time served. Background information on individuals includes year of birth, sex, age, race, Hispanic origin, and educational attainment.