The demographic distribution remained consistent over the two years, with 32% being Black, 31% white, 23% Hispanic, 10% multiracial or of another race, 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Preliminary data released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) revealed a notable increase in the number of individuals held in local jails nationwide. As of midyear 2022, the incarcerated population stood at 663,100, marking a 4% surge compared to the previous year’s 636,100. This surge is part of a more significant trend that has seen jail admissions rise by 6.6% from July 2021 to June 2022, totaling 7.3 million entries. However, the figure is still 37% lower than ten years prior, when admissions peaked at 11.6 million.
According to the new data, of the incarcerated population in mid-2022, 14% were female, representing an increase over the previous year. The female population experienced a growth of 9%, surpassing the 3% growth seen in the male population during the same period.
Among those in custody, approximately 30% (197,000) were convicted or awaiting sentencing, while the remaining 70% (466,100) were not convicted, pending court action, or held for other reasons. This distribution mirrors the proportions observed in 2021.
The numbers saw a 2% increase for state and federal prisons from yearend 2021 to yearend 2022, with the population rising from 1,205,100 to 1,230,100. Notably, 35 states and the federal prison system saw an uptick in the number of individuals sentenced to more than one year.
Most prisoners, approximately 96% in 2021 and 2022, had sentences of over a year. The demographic distribution remained consistent over the two years, with 32% being Black, 31% white, 23% Hispanic, 10% multiracial or of another race, 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1% Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other…
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