Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in United States
Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in the United States was 1.25 million in 2023, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics. That is up 2% from 2022.
Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in United States, 1978 to 2023
All 46 values
| Period | count |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,254,224 |
| 2022 | 1,230,143 |
| 2021 | 1,205,087 |
| 2020 | 1,221,164 |
| 2019 | 1,430,165 |
| 2018 | 1,464,385 |
| 2017 | 1,489,189 |
| 2016 | 1,508,129 |
| 2015 | 1,526,603 |
| 2014 | 1,562,319 |
| 2013 | 1,576,950 |
| 2012 | 1,570,397 |
| 2011 | 1,598,968 |
| 2010 | 1,613,803 |
| 2009 | 1,615,487 |
| 2008 | 1,608,282 |
| 2007 | 1,596,835 |
| 2006 | 1,568,674 |
| 2005 | 1,525,910 |
| 2004 | 1,497,100 |
| 2003 | 1,468,601 |
| 2002 | 1,440,144 |
| 2001 | 1,404,032 |
| 2000 | 1,394,231 |
| 1999 | 1,363,686 |
| 1998 | 1,307,154 |
| 1997 | 1,240,659 |
| 1996 | 1,181,919 |
| 1995 | 1,125,874 |
| 1994 | 1,054,702 |
| 1993 | 969,301 |
| 1992 | 882,500 |
| 1991 | 825,559 |
| 1990 | 773,919 |
| 1989 | 712,364 |
| 1988 | 627,600 |
| 1987 | 585,084 |
| 1986 | 544,972 |
| 1985 | 502,507 |
| 1984 | 462,002 |
| 1983 | 436,855 |
| 1982 | 413,806 |
| 1981 | 369,930 |
| 1980 | 329,821 |
| 1979 | 314,457 |
| 1978 | 307,276 |
Rankings
Definition
Prisoners of any sentence status under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities on December 31. Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics.
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.
How to cite
Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (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
APA 7
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2026). National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables) (Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction, 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: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction, 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/prisoners-under-jurisdiction/united-states. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Chicago (author-date)
Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2026. National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction, 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/prisoners-under-jurisdiction/united-states.
Harvard
Bureau of Justice Statistics (2026) National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction, United States, 1978 to 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/en/prisoners-under-jurisdiction/united-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{bureau_prisoners_under_state_or_2023,
author = {{Bureau of Justice Statistics}},
title = {{National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction, 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/prisoners-under-jurisdiction/united-states. Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (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: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction, 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/prisoners-under-jurisdiction/united-states
Y2 - 2026/10/12
N1 - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/prisoners-under-jurisdiction/united-states.
N1 - Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (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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What is the latest prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in United States? Cite the source.
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What is the prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in United States?
Prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in the United States was 1.25 million in 2023, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics. That is up 2% from 2022.
Where does this figure come from?
Bureau of Justice Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved by Invokely on 2026-10-12.
What was the highest prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction in United States?
1.62 million in 2009, the highest value since 1978 in this series.