Minnesota Has 2nd Largest Increase in Prison Population in the Nation This Decade

Only West Virginia saw its state and federal prison population increase at a higher rate from 2000-2008

Despite being one of 19 states which experienced a drop in its prison population during the last year, new data released this month by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) shows Minnesota has endured the second largest growth of prisoners in state and federal correctional facilities across the nation this decade.

Minnesota, which has the 21st largest population in the country at just over 5.2 million residents, entered the decade with only the 35th largest number of prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities, at 6,238.

However, the Gopher State has seen its prison population increase by more than 50 percent since 2000, according to an analysis by Smart Politics of data provided in a new report released by the BJS.

By the end of 2008, there were 9,406 such prisoners in Minnesota – or an increase of 50.8 percent since 2000. The Gopher State moved up three spots to #32 in the nation for the largest total number of prisoners within its borders.

West Virginia led the nation with the biggest prison population boom – seeing its prisoners under state and federal correctional authorities increase by a 57.1 percent rate during the past eight years. Only three states, New York (-14.0 percent), New Jersey (-12.9 percent), and Maryland (-0.9 percent) saw a net decrease this decade in its number of prisoners.

According to the new BJS report, the net increase of just 12,201 prisoners across the country from 2007 to 2008 is the smallest annual increase nationwide since 2000 (0.8 percent). By the end of 2008 there were 1,610,446 men and women in state and federal correctional facilities across the USA.

Approximately 87.5 percent of such prisoners across the country are in state correctional facilities, with 12.5 percent in federal facilities. However, state prison populations rose just 13.1 percent nationwide from 2000 to 2008, with federal prison populations rising at a 38.4 percent clip.

Looking at states in the Upper Midwest region, North Dakota experienced the ninth largest increase in the nation in state and federal prisoners since 2000, with its prison population rising at a rate of 34.9 percent to 1,452 total prisoners. South Dakota’s rate of increase was ranked #14 in the nation (27.8 percent; 3,342 prisoners), while Wisconsin was ranked #33 (12.7 percent; 23,380 prisoners), and Iowa was ranked #38 (10.2 percent; 8,766 prisoners).

It should be noted that not all states have the same number of federal correctional facilities. For example, Minnesota has low security prisons in Waseca and Sandstone and a minimum security prison in Duluth. Wisconsin has a medium security facility in Oxford and South Dakota has a minimum security prison in Yankton. Iowa and North Dakota do not have any such federal correctional institutions.

Looking at the broader 12-state Midwest region, the prisoner population increased 11.1 percent from 2000 to 2008. Prison populations increased by 16.8 percent in the 13 Western states, 15.3 percent in the 16 Southern states, and by just 2.8 percent in the nine Northeastern states.

From 2007 to 2008 the prison population in Minnesota decreased by 0.7 percent, or approximately 60 prisoners. This was the 14th largest decrease in the nation. Wisconsin saw a decrease of 1.5 percent over the past year – good for the 9th largest decrease in the country.

Change in Rate of Prisoners under the Jurisdiction of State or Federal Correctional Authorities by State, 2000-2008

Rank	State	12/31/2000	12/31/2008	Change
1	West Virginia	3,856	6,059	57.13
2	Minnesota	6,238	9,406	50.79
3	Arizona	26,510	39,589	49.34
4	Kentucky	14,919	21,706	45.49
5	Florida	71,319	102,388	43.56
6	Indiana	20,125	28,322	40.73
7	Colorado	16,833	23,274	38.26
8	Pennsylvania	36,847	50,147	36.10
9	North Dakota	1,076	1,452	34.94
10	Oregon	10,580	14,167	33.90
11	Idaho	5,535	7,290	31.71
12	Maine	1,679	2,195	30.73
13	New Hampshire	2,257	2,904	28.67
14	South Dakota	2,616	3,342	27.75
15	Virginia	30,168	38,276	26.88
16	Nevada	10,063	12,743	26.63
17	North Carolina	31,266	39,482	26.28
18	Vermont	1,697	2,116	24.69
19	Wyoming	1,680	2,084	24.05
20	Arkansas	11,915	14,716	23.51
21	Rhode Island	3,286	4,045	23.10
22	Tennessee	22,166	27,228	22.84
23	Washington	14,915	17,926	20.19
24	Alaska	4,173	5,014	20.15
25	New Mexico	5,342	6,402	19.84
26	Georgia	44,232	52,719	19.19
27	Hawaii	5,053	5,955	17.85
28	Montana	3,105	3,607	16.17
29	Utah	5,637	6,546	16.13
30	Nebraska	3,895	4,520	16.05
31	Alabama	26,332	30,508	15.86
32	Ohio	45,833	51,686	12.77
33	Wisconsin	20,754	23,380	12.65
34	Connecticut	18,355	20,661	12.56
35	Mississippi	20,241	22,754	12.42
36	South Carolina	21,778	24,326	11.70
37	Oklahoma	23,181	25,864	11.57
38	Iowa	7,955	8,766	10.19
39	Missouri	27,543	30,186	9.60
40	Louisiana	35,207	38,381	9.02
41	California	163,001	173,670	6.55
42	Massachusetts	10,722	11,408	6.40
43	Texas	166,719	172,506	3.47
44	Kansas	8,344	8,539	2.34
45	Delaware	6,921	7,075	2.23
46	Michigan	47,718	48,738	2.14
47	Illinois	45,281	45,474	0.43
48	Maryland	23,538	23,324	-0.91
49	New Jersey	29,784	25,953	-12.86
50	New York	70,199	60,347	-14.03

Data compiled from Prisoners in 2008, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

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