Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) in United States

Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) in the United States was 676 per 100,000 people in 2023, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics. That is up 9 pts from 2022.

2023, per 100,000 people676
Change on 2022+9 pts
Series high9562008
Series low2581978

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Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) in United States, 1978 to 2023

2004006008001,00019781985199219992006201320231978: 258 per 100,000 people1979: 263 per 100,000 people1980: 274 per 100,000 people1981: 303 per 100,000 people1982: 335 per 100,000 people1983: 352 per 100,000 people1984: 368 per 100,000 people1985: 395 per 100,000 people1986: 424 per 100,000 people1987: 450 per 100,000 people1988: 479 per 100,000 people1989: 532 per 100,000 people1990: 572 per 100,000 people1991: 603 per 100,000 people1992: 639 per 100,000 people1993: 694 per 100,000 people1994: 749 per 100,000 people1995: 792 per 100,000 people1996: 821 per 100,000 people1997: 852 per 100,000 people1998: 887 per 100,000 people1999: 912 per 100,000 people2000: 897 per 100,000 people2001: 895 per 100,000 people2002: 909 per 100,000 people2003: 917 per 100,000 people2004: 923 per 100,000 people2005: 932 per 100,000 people2006: 948 per 100,000 people2007: 955 per 100,000 people2008: 956 per 100,000 people2009: 952 per 100,000 people2010: 948 per 100,000 people2011: 932 per 100,000 people2012: 909 per 100,000 people2013: 903 per 100,000 people2014: 889 per 100,000 people2015: 865 per 100,000 people2016: 847 per 100,000 people2017: 831 per 100,000 people2018: 812 per 100,000 people2019: 789 per 100,000 people2020: 673 per 100,000 people2021: 658 per 100,000 people2022: 667 per 100,000 people2023: 676 per 100,000 people2004006008001,00019781994201020231978: 258 per 100,000 people1979: 263 per 100,000 people1980: 274 per 100,000 people1981: 303 per 100,000 people1982: 335 per 100,000 people1983: 352 per 100,000 people1984: 368 per 100,000 people1985: 395 per 100,000 people1986: 424 per 100,000 people1987: 450 per 100,000 people1988: 479 per 100,000 people1989: 532 per 100,000 people1990: 572 per 100,000 people1991: 603 per 100,000 people1992: 639 per 100,000 people1993: 694 per 100,000 people1994: 749 per 100,000 people1995: 792 per 100,000 people1996: 821 per 100,000 people1997: 852 per 100,000 people1998: 887 per 100,000 people1999: 912 per 100,000 people2000: 897 per 100,000 people2001: 895 per 100,000 people2002: 909 per 100,000 people2003: 917 per 100,000 people2004: 923 per 100,000 people2005: 932 per 100,000 people2006: 948 per 100,000 people2007: 955 per 100,000 people2008: 956 per 100,000 people2009: 952 per 100,000 people2010: 948 per 100,000 people2011: 932 per 100,000 people2012: 909 per 100,000 people2013: 903 per 100,000 people2014: 889 per 100,000 people2015: 865 per 100,000 people2016: 847 per 100,000 people2017: 831 per 100,000 people2018: 812 per 100,000 people2019: 789 per 100,000 people2020: 673 per 100,000 people2021: 658 per 100,000 people2022: 667 per 100,000 people2023: 676 per 100,000 people
per 100,000 people. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12, published 2026-02-20.
All 46 values
Periodper 100,000 people
2023676
2022667
2021658
2020673
2019789
2018812
2017831
2016847
2015865
2014889
2013903
2012909
2011932
2010948
2009952
2008956
2007955
2006948
2005932
2004923
2003917
2002909
2001895
2000897
1999912
1998887
1997852
1996821
1995792
1994749
1993694
1992639
1991603
1990572
1989532
1988479
1987450
1986424
1985395
1984368
1983352
1982335
1981303
1980274
1979263
1978258

Rankings

Definition

Sentenced male prisoners (sentence of more than 1 year) under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities on December 31, per 100,000 male residents. Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics, with Census Bureau resident population estimates for January 1 of the following year.

Counts only prisoners sentenced to more than 1 year, so it differs from the prison population rate used for other countries (prison_population_rate), which counts everyone held in prison, pre-trial detainees included. Prisoners are counted by the jurisdiction with legal authority over them, wherever they are held, on December 31. The national figure adds the federal system to the states. Local jails are not included, except in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont, which run one combined prison and jail system. Felons sentenced in the District of Columbia have been the responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons since 2001, so the District has values only up to 2000.

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How to cite

Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2026). National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables) (Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), United States, 1978 to 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables

MLA 9

National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), United States, 1978 to 2023. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 20 Feb. 2026, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/male-imprisonment-rate/united-states. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2026. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), United States, 1978 to 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/male-imprisonment-rate/united-states.

Harvard

Bureau of Justice Statistics (2026) National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), United States, 1978 to 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/en/male-imprisonment-rate/united-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_male_imprisonment_rate_sentenced_2023,
  author = {{Bureau of Justice Statistics}},
  title = {{National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), United States, 1978 to 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/male-imprisonment-rate/united-states. Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Bureau of Justice Statistics
TI  - National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), United States, 1978 to 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/20
PB  - Bureau of Justice Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables
L2  - https://invokely.ai/en/male-imprisonment-rate/united-states
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/male-imprisonment-rate/united-states.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

What is the male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) in United States?

Male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) in the United States was 676 per 100,000 people in 2023, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics. That is up 9 pts from 2022.

Where does this figure come from?

Bureau of Justice Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved by Invokely on 2026-10-12.

What was the highest male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) in United States?

956 per 100,000 people in 2008, the highest value since 1978 in this series.

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