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Montana has an incarceration rate of 758 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that it locks up a higher percentage of its people than any independent democratic country on earth. Read on to learn more about who is incarcerated in Montana and why.

7,700 people from Montana are behind bars

Additionally, the number of people impacted by county and city jails in Montana is much larger than the graph above would suggest, because people cycle through local jails relatively quickly. Each year, at least 18,000 different people are booked into local jails in Montana.

Using 2020 census data, we looked at where people in Montana prisons come from. We found mass incarceration harms all corners of the state.

Rates of imprisonment have grown dramatically in the last 40 years

Also see these Montana graphs:

• total numbers rather than rates.
• Women’s prisons: Incarceration Rates | Total Population
• Men’s prisons: Incarceration Rates | Total Population

Today, Montana’s incarceration rates stand out internationally

In the U.S., incarceration extends beyond prisons and local jails to include other systems of confinement. The U.S. and state incarceration rates in this graph include people held by these other parts of the justice system, so they may be slightly higher than the commonly reported incarceration rates that only include prisons and jails. Details on the data are available in States of Incarceration: The Global Context. We also have a version of this graph focusing on the incarceration of women.

People of color are overrepresented in prisons and jails

Montana's criminal justice system is more than just its prisons and jails

See detailed data on incarceration and supervision numbers and rates by state.

Reports and briefings about Montana's criminal legal system:

Filter to show Most recent All Big picture Collateral consequences Communication Exploitation Health Jails & bail Parole and probation Policing Poverty Prison gerrymandering Racial justice Women, gender, & families

• People on probation in Montana are saddled with onerous rules and conditions they must follow every day or risk incarceration.
• Prisons in Montana have tablets, but they may be being used to restrict incarcerated people’s access to books and sap them of the little money they have.
• With an incarceration rate of 758 per 100,000 residents, Montana locks up a higher percentage of its people than any independent democratic country on earth.
• During the 2020 redistricting cycle, Montana successfully counted roughly 96% of people it was possible to count at home at that location as part of its efforts to end prison gerrymandering.
• Prisons in Montana force incarcerated people and their families — some of the most vulnerable members of society — to subsidize mass incarceration.
• 57% of people in Montana jails have not been convicted of a crime, meaning they're legally innocent. There are simple steps the state can take to reduce this number. Why isn't it?
• Montana releases roughly 33,548 men and 11,363 women from its prisons and jails each year. What is it doing to support them upon reentry?
• In Montana prisons, breaking even minor rules can come with monetary fines that put incarcerated people in debt to the state
• The parole board in Montana is releasing 46% fewer people and holding 19% fewer hearings since the pandemic started.
• Black people in Montana are incarcerated at a rate 6.6 times higher than white people.
• Montana's choice to criminalize "failure to appear" may be hurting public safety
• The cost of incarcerating older people is incredibly high, and their risk of reincarceration is incredibly low, yet 17% of people in Montana prisons are over the age of 55. Why is the state keeping so many older people locked up?
• Montana makes it difficult or even risky for incarcerated journalists to tell their stories.
• In Montana, 7,700 people are incarcerated and another 10,700 are on probation or parole.
• With bipartisan support, Montana has ended prison gerrymandering. It is among the growing list of states to reject the way the Census Bureau counts incarcerated people.
• Montana charges up to 33¢ for an e-message to or from prison, well above the national average.
• Jails in Montana charge up to $4.50 for a 15-minute phone call, reaping profits for companies, while prisons charge $1.50 for a 15-minute phone call.
• Report: Where people in prison come from: The geography of mass incarceration in Montana
• Montana has recently had a 23% staff turnover rate in its prisons.
• Montana is one of just a handful of states that do not charge people in prison copays for medical care.
• If a person in Montana prisons has more than $15 in their commissary account they do not qualify for assistance to purchase essentials like hygiene items and postage.
• Montana is one of the handful of states that does not charge families to transfer money to an incarcerated loved one.
• We gave Montana a failing grade in September 2021 for its response to the coronavirus in prisons.
• Montana released fewer people on parole in 2020 than in 2019.
• Montana prisons were still over 100% capacity in December 2020, several months into the pandemic
• How many COVID-19 cases in Montana communities can be linked to outbreaks in correctional facilities? (data from our report Mass Incarceration, COVID-19, and Community Spread)
• Montana hinders jury diversity by excluding people with felony records until they complete probation and parole sentences
• New data: Low incomes — but high fees — for people on probation in Montana
• We graded the parole release systems of all 50 states — Montana gets a D
• Montana incarcerates women at a rate of 203 per 100,000 residents — higher than any democratic country on earth.
• People in Montana prisons earn as little as 16¢ an hour for their work.
• Importing Constituents: Prisoners and Political Clout in Montana
• Importing constituents: Prisoners and political clout in Montana

Other resources

• Research on Montana in our Research Library
Learn more about the campaign to end prison gerrymandering in Montana