Rate (per 100,000 population) of Sentenced Prisoners under Jurisdiction of State and Federal Correctional Authorities, Dec. 31.

Between 2000 and 2007 the number of sentenced prisoners in Virginia increased by 68 per 100,000 persons. The increase was sixth highest in the nation, exceeded only by Kentucky, West Virginia, Alaska, Indiana and Florida. During the same period 12 States lowered their imprisonment rate per 100,000 persons including Illinois -20, Maryland -25, Delaware -31, New Jersey -54, Texas -61 and New York -62. Overall Virginia in 2007 was 15th nationally in numbers of prisoners per 100,000 persons.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics: Prisoners in 2007 spreadsheet p07at06.csv Appendix Table 6. Imprisonment rates of sentenced prisoners, yearend 2000-2007. Also Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics: Section 6 Persons under correctional supervision: states table 6.2 pdf file.

Comments on the table entitled “Rate (per 100,000 population) of sentenced prisoners”.

• By using data on rate per 100,000 population the table provides comparisons of the relative number of sentenced prisoners independent of changes in the population.
• The U.S. Total figures for 1930-1970 are in line with trends that go back to 1880. For roughly 100 years for which some data are available the rate of prisoners in the population was relatively flat.
• Major increases in the relative number of sentenced prisoners occurred across the nation between 1980 and 2000. Improved data reporting by 1970, the “War on Drugs” starting in the late 70’s, expanded definitions of what are crimes and changes in sentencing for some crimes from misdemeanors to felonies and a tendency towards mandated sentences and restrictions on granting of parole all impacted on the marked increase in rates.
• The rate of sentenced prisoners in Virginia was below the average for all states in 2000. Implementation of “Truth in Sentencing” legislation in January 1995 and changes in criminal codes over time have had an impact on the rates.
• Between 2000 and 2007 the average increase for the top six states in terms of rate of sentencing (Kentucky, West Virginia, Alaska, Indiana, Florida, and Virginia) was 85 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 population and the average decrease in the violent crime rate was 30 per 100,000 population.***
• Between 2000 and 2007 the average decrease for the bottom six states in terms of rate of sentencing (Illinois, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Texas and New York) was minus 50 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 population and the average decrease in the violent crime rate was minus 89 per 100,000 population.***

***Weighted averages based on state population. Bureau of Justice Statistics data on crime rates and rate of sentencing. 1/09

Crime Rates per 100,000 Inhabitants in the United States and Virginia, 1970-2007*

*Source FBI Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), Virginia Law Enforcement Agency UCR
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm; http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/vacrime.htm
**Violent crime includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
***Property crime includes burglary, larceny/theft, and vehicle theft.

Uniform Crime Reports

• The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) part I crimes are serious offenses and are based on reports to the police, discovered by police or known through other sources. Part I crimes are the basis for crime rate comparisons and are separated into violent crimes and property crimes.
• Part I violent crimes include criminal homicide (a. murder and non-negligent manslaughter, b. manslaughter by negligence); forcible rape (a. rape by force, b. attempts to commit forcible rape); robbery (a. firearm, b. knife or cutting instrument, c. other dangerous weapon and d. strong-arm—hands, fists, feet, etc.) and aggravated assault (a. firearm, b. knife or cutting instrument, c. other dangerous weapon and d. hands, fists, feet, etc.—aggravated injury).
• Part I property crimes include burglary (a. forcible entry, b. unlawful entry—no force and c. attempted forcible entry); larceny-theft (except motor vehicle theft); motor vehicle theft (a. autos b. trucks and buses c. other vehicles) and arson.
• Part II crimes encompass all other reportable offenses outside of Part I crimes and are reported in the event arrests are made. Part II crimes include simple assault, curfew violations and loitering, embezzlement, forgery and counterfeiting, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, drug offenses, fraud, gambling, liquor offenses, offenses against the family, prostitution, public drunkenness, runaways, sex offenses, stolen property, vandalism, vagrancy, and weapons offenses.
• The UCR Program is a voluntary city, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement program that relies on the submission of statistics by nearly 17,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
• Robbery and aggravated assault accounted for 90 percent of the URC violent crimes reported in the U.S. and Virginia in 2007. Larceny/theft nationally comprised two-thirds of the URC property crimes and three-fourths of those in Virginia in 2007.

Observations on Crime Rates per 100,000 Inhabitants in the United States and Virginia, 1970-2007

• Crime rates in Virginia and the United States have declined dramatically between 1990 and 2007 for both violent crime and property crime.
• Violent crime rates in Virginia in 2007 are 10 percent less then in 1970.
• Property crime rates in Virginia in 2007 are 33 percent less then in 1970.
• Crime rates in Virginia for forcible rape, robbery, burglary, and motor vehicle theft peaked in the early 1990’s.
• Crime rates in Virginia for murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and larceny/theft were at their lowest rate in the last seven years.
• A number of factors have been cited that influenced crime rates in Virginia and the United States from 1970-2007. Research and hard information is lacking on which factors were the most important. The list includes:
• Strategic police initiatives including focusing on “hot spots” and adjustments in public safety initiatives depending on need.
• Community engagement in public safety efforts.
• Private sector initiatives and investments to insure safe environments.
• Changes in drug market patterns.
• Improvements in the collection and reporting of crime offenses especially in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
• Improvements in the accuracy of classification of offenses.