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Appendix: State and federal prison populations 2019-2023 and sources

This table, originally created for the briefing Why did prison and jail populations grow in 2022 - and what comes next?, provides the jurisdictional population counts published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics for the years 2019-2022, and the most recent counts we could find provided by individual state and federal online sources. We excluded population counts that did not appear to be comparable to BJS jurisdictional definitions.

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2023 Population source and notes Source URL
Alabama 28,304 25,328 25,032 26,421 27,001 ADOC Monthly Statistical Report for Sept. 2023 https://doc.alabama.gov/docs/MonthlyRpts/September 2023.pdf
Alaska 4,475 4,578 4,639 4,778 4,480 Summary Statistics for Nov. 2023 showing population by facility https://doc.alaska.gov/administrative-services/research-records/population-statistics
Arizona 42,441 37,794 33,914 33,865 34,502 Dec. 14, 2023 Count Sheet (Grand total) https://corrections.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/reports/Daily Count/2023/12142023 daily count.pdf
Arkansas 17,759 16,094 17,022 17,625 18,375 DOC Board Report for Sept. 2023 (jurisdictional population data as of Aug. 31, 2023) https://doc.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Division-of-Correction-Directors-Board-Report_-September-2023.pdf
Federal BOP 175,116 152,156 157,314 159,309 157,740 BOP Population Statistics (jurisdictional population data as of Dec. 7, 2023) https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/population_statistics.jsp
California 122,687 100,396 101,441 97,608 96,225 Monthly TPOP1 Report for Nov. 2023 (Total In-Custody/CRPP Supervision plus Temporary Release to Court and Hospital, consistent with BJS jurisdictional population definition; data as of Nov. 30, 2023) https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/research/wp-content/uploads/sites/174/2023/12/Tpop1d2311.pdf
Colorado 19,785 16,259 15,865 17,168 17,246 “Inmate Total” from “General Statistics” dashboard (accessed Dec. 12, 2023) https://cdoc.colorado.gov/about/data-and-reports/statistics
Connecticut 12,823 9,559 9,889 10,506 10,445 CT DOC Monthly Statistics Dec. 1, 2023 (data as of Nov. 2023) https://portal.ct.gov/DOC/Report/Monthly-Statistics
Delaware 5,692 4,710 4,810 4,954 4613 DE DOC Daily Population Summary including “inmates” and “offenders on pre-trial detention” (consistent with BJS jurisdictional population definition for “unified” prison and jail systems) for Dec. 14, 2023 (accessed Dec. 15, 2023). https://doc.delaware.gov/
Florida 96,009 81,027 80,417 84,678 85,928 FDC Monthly Statistical Report Nov. 2023 (data from Nov. 30, 2023) https://fdc.myflorida.com/pub/statistics/MS1123.pdf
Georgia 54,816 47,141 47,010 48,439 50,616 GA DOC Monthly Statistical Report, “Profile of All Inmates During 2023 11” (data as of Dec. 1, 2023) https://gdc.georgia.gov/document/monthly-statistical-reports/profile-all-inmates-2023-11/download
Hawaii 5,279 4,171 4,102 4,149 3,967 HI DPS Corrections Division Weekly Population Report from Dec. 11, 2023 showing “assigned count” total (including people held out-of-state, consistent with BJS jurisdictional population defnition) https://dps.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Pop-Reports-Weekly-2023-12-11.pdf
Idaho 9,437 8,356 8,907 9,110 9,332 ID DOC Incarcerated Population Report for Fiscal Year 2023 (data as of June 30, 2023), “Facility type - 2023” table (includes “termer,” “rider,” and “parole violator” populations) https://www.idoc.idaho.gov/content/document/fy_2023_incarcerated_population_report
Illinois 38,259 29,729 28,980 29,634 29,930 IL DOC Prison Population Data Set for June 30, 2023 https://idoc.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idoc/reportsandstatistics/documents/June-2023-Prison.xls
Indiana 27,180 26,051 24,972 25,286 25,072 Calculated from IN DOC Total Population Summary Report for Nov. 2023, Table 3, including DOC Adult, Jail DOC Contract, and Jail Felony F6 Diversions (data as of Nov. 1, 2023) https://www.in.gov/idoc/files/data-and-statistics/Total-Population-Summary-Report-November-2023.pdf
Iowa 9,282 8,307 8,562 8,473 8,404 IA DOC Daily Statistics as of Dec. 15 2023 showing Institutional current count (does not include residential community corrections) https://doc-search.iowa.gov/dailystatistics
Kansas 10,177 8,779 8,521 8,709 9,005 KS DOC Current populaton totals as of Dec. 13, 2023 https://www.doc.ks.gov/current_population_totals
Kentucky 23,082 18,552 18,560 19,744 19,305 KY DOC Statewide Population Report for Dec. 6, 2023 https://corrections.ky.gov/About/researchandstats/Documents/Daily Population/2023/12/12-06-23.pdf
Louisiana 31,609 26,964 26,074 27,296 28,307 LA DOC Demographic Dashboard showing data as of Oct. 30, 2023 (accessed Dec. 12, 2023) https://doc.louisiana.gov/demographic-dashboard/
Maine 2,185 1,714 1,577 1,675 1,749 ME DOC Nov. 2023 Monthly Adult Data Reporting showing Average Daily Population for Year to Date 2023 https://www.maine.gov/corrections/sites/maine.gov.corrections/files/inline-files/November 2023 Monthly Adult Data Report.pdf
Maryland 18,595 15,623 15,134 15,637 None located
Massachusetts 8,205 6,762 6,148 6,001 6,144 MA DOC Weekly Inmate Count as of Dec. 4, 2023 showing total jurisdictional population https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-inmate-count-1242023/download
Michigan 38,053 33,617 32,186 32,374 33,461 MI DOC Nov. 2023 Prison Population Projection Report to the Legislature, Table 1, showing projected population for Dec. 2023. (We accepted this projection as an estimated count given the Nov. 2023 publication date.) https://www.michigan.gov/corrections/-/media/Project/Websites/corrections/Files/Legislative-Reports/2023/Prison-Population-Projection-Report.pdf
Minnesota 9,982 8,148 8,003 8,636 8,274 MN DOC Adult Prison Population Summary for July 1, 2023 https://mn.gov/doc/assets/Adult Prison Population Summary 7-1-2023_tcm1089-589994.pdf
Mississippi 19,417 17,577 17,332 19,802 21,311 MS DOC Monthly Fact Sheet for Nov. 2023 showing “Inmate total” (data as of Nov. 2, 2023) https://www.mdoc.ms.gov/sites/default/files/Monthly_Fact_Sheets/2023_Monthly Fact Sheet_November.pdf
Missouri 26,044 23,062 23,422 23,911 None located
Montana 4,723 3,927 4,313 4,691 4,702 Calculated from MT DOC Daily Population Report Dashboard and Jail Hold Population Dashboard, including “Secure” and “Alt-Secure” populations as of Dec. 10, 2023 and jail holds for “Pending Transport to Assessment Center,” “Pending Transport to Prerelease/Treatment Center,” and “Pending Transport to Prison” populations as of Dec. 12, 2023. (This assumes all those pending transport from jail have been sentenced and are part of the prison system’s jurisdiction.) https://cor.mt.gov/DataStatsContractsPoliciesProcedures/DataPages/Interactive-Dashboards
Nebraska 5,682 5,306 5,600 5,649 5,803 NDCS Quarterly Population Summary showing Average Daily Population for July-Sept. 2023 https://corrections.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/cy23_q3_quarterly_data_sheet_final.pdf
Nevada 12,840 11,249 10,202 10,304 10,535 NV DOC Monthly Statistical Abstracts Factsheet for Nov. 2023 showing Total count (not just “in house”) https://doc.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/docnvgov/content/About/Statistics/Monthly_Reports_by_Year/20231130_Monthly_Statistical_Factsheet.pdf
New Hampshire 2,691 2,352 2,127 2,086 2,100 NH Bar Association article, “NHBA Prison Series: Maintaining Order and Dispensing Punishment,” by Tom Jarvis and Scott Merrill, which reports, “In 2023, there were 2,100 people being held in the three NH state prisons.” https://www.nhbar.org/nhba-prison-series-maintaining-order-and-dispensing-punishment/
New Jersey 18,613 12,830 12,506 12,657 None located
New Mexico 6,723 5,500 5,154 4,970 None located
New York 43,500 34,128 30,338 31,148 32,613 NY DOCCS Incarcerated Profile Report - Dec. 2023, Table 1 showing “undercustody” population (data as of Dec. 1, 2023) https://doccs.ny.gov/incarcerated-profile-report-december-2023
North Carolina 34,079 29,461 28,995 29,627 31,191 NC DAC Offender Population (showing “prison offenders”) as of Dec. 14, 2023 on the main Publications Data and Research webpage https://www.dac.nc.gov/information-and-services/publications-data-and-research
North Dakota 1,794 1,401 1,689 1,817 1,834 ND DCR Dashboard showing Dec. 1, 2023 population data (accessed Dec. 15, 2023) https://dashboard.docr.nd.gov/us_nd/overview
Ohio 50,338 45,036 45,029 45,313 44,531 ODRC Monthly Population Count by Institution, Aug. 2023 (data as of August 1, 2023) https://drc.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/62283e66-ceaf-468d-93cc-64760a9cedb3/August+2023+Fact+Sheet.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_K9I401S01H7F40QBNJU3SO1F56-62283e66-ceaf-468d-93cc-64760a9cedb3-oHSDERo
Oklahoma 25,033 22,462 22,391 22,941 None located
Oregon 14,961 12,753 13,198 12,518 12,143 OR DOC Prison Population Trends as of Nov. 2023 https://www.oregon.gov/doc/Documents/prison_population-trends.pdf
Pennsylvania 45,702 39,357 37,194 37,910 38,934 PA DOC Monthly Population Report showing total jurisdiction population as of Nov. 30, 2023 https://www.cor.pa.gov/About Us/Statistics/Documents/current monthly population.pdf
Rhode Island 2,740 2,227 2,238 2,393 2,350 RI DOC statistics as cited in the Providence Journal article, “Forecast: RI prison population will grow almost 30% by 2034. What’s driving the increase?” by Patrick Anderson (Dec. 5, 2023), which reports “…the Rhode Island prison population … was 2,350 last week, according to Department of Corrections statistics.” https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/state/2023/12/05/ri-prison-population-to-climb-30-percent-in-next-decade-after-falling-to-35-year-low-during-pandemic/71720651007/
South Carolina 18,608 16,157 15,759 16,318 16,539 SC DOC “Average Daily Inmate Population - Fiscal Years 1970-2023” showing jurisdictional population (data as of June 30, 2023) https://www.doc.sc.gov/sites/doc/files/Documents/research/SystemOverview/Avg_pop_FY_1970-2023.pdf
South Dakota 3,801 3,250 3,353 3,444 3,727 SD DOC Adult Corrections Population for Nov. 30, 2023, showing state total https://doc.sd.gov/documents/AdultPopulationNovember30203.pdf
Tennessee 26,349 22,685 21,995 23,735 25,011 TN DOC “Incarcerated Felon Populations” (Oct. 2023) page 4, showing average “Total Felon Population” (including TDOC Facilities, TDOC Backup, and Locally Sentenced populations) for Fiscal Year 2023-24 as of Oct. 2023 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/correction/documents/FelonOctober2023.pdf
Texas 158,429 135,906 133,772 139,631 No counts located that are compatible with BJS jurisdictional population definition
Utah 6,671 5,448 5,911 6,009 6,045 UDC Incarcerated Population Data (as of Oct. 9, 2023) from the dashboard accessed Dec. 15, 2023 https://corrections.utah.gov/operations-dashboard/
Vermont 1,608 1,284 1,287 1,360 1,342 VT DOC “Jail Population” as of Dec. 15, 2023 (does not include “Jail Detainees” which appear to be people held for federal and other state authorities). Vermont has a “unified” prison and jail system so all counts are included in the “prison” population to be consistent with BJS population definitions for “unified” systems. https://doc.vermont.gov/sites/correct/files/documents/Pop_Count_12-15-2023.pdf
Virginia 36,091 31,838 30,357 27,162 No counts located that are compatible with BJS jurisdictional population definition
Washington 19,261 15,724 13,674 13,772 13,554 WA DOC “About” page, “Prison Population by Age” table showing data as of October 11, 2023 https://www.doc.wa.gov/corrections/incarceration/prisons/default.htm
West Virginia 6,800 6,044 5,847 5,873 None located
Wisconsin 23,956 20,298 20,202 20,873 21,923 WI DOC Weekly Population Report showing “total persons in our care” (Adult Institutions) as of Dec. 8, 2023 https://doc.wi.gov/DataResearch/WeeklyPopulationReports/12082023.pdf
Wyoming 2,479 2,087 2,123 2,154 2,242 WY DOC Quarterly Population Demographics Reports for Q3 2023, showing “Inmate Count” as of end of Quarter 3 (Sept. 30, 2023) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FoYznPX-3dJmlPim_OQTJLOmYmT8ysB4/view?usp=drive_link
Total states and federal prisons 1,430,165 1,221,164 1,205,087 1,230,143 None located
Sources for all states and the federal BOP, 2019-2022 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2020, Table 2 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2021, Table 2 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2022, Table 2 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2022, Table 2

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