Problem Definition Paper 1

Secondary Data Tables

Lab #2
Problem Definition Paper-Secondary Data Table
Elise Holsey
Sowk 300-01
Tuskegee University
January 29, 2010
 Problem Definition Paper 2
Problem Definition Paper – Secondary Data Table

1.) Problem Identification: State the general problem topic.

The number of adults on probation or parole, incarcerated in jail or in prison from
1980 to 2006 by sex, race, and gender.

2.) Problem Description:

A) How does the problem affect the survival and propagation of African
Americans?
B) Do you have any ideas about what can be done or what changes are needed to
alleviate the problem?

A. I feel that the problem is affecting the African Americans because, now of
day we have more black males in jail then we have in college. In 2000, 31%
of people that was on probation were black males and females. That means
they just got out of jail or prison, and that makes it harder for them to go out
and get a job.

B. They only thing I could think of are, to educate our black people more, so that
they could stay out of jail and prison. Try to have more open jobs so that people could
stay out of trouble. Also have more after school programs from students because it all
start we they are younger.

3.) Finding: Describe the data tables you located with references to the following
quantitative aspect. You must locate at least one data table for each of the four aspects
(i.e. there is a minimum of four data tables.) The data tables must be in PDF file, as
explained in the next chapter.

The data table, Characteristics of adults on probation, is the Micro Level. This
table breaks it down from gender, race, and what’s their status of probation. Table 334 is
the Mezzo Level it only tells how many people is on probation, parole, and incarceration
and it only breaks it down by male and females. Table 8.1 is the Macro Level this one is
showing everyone that is incarcerated and on probation or parole, in the United States.
The top state with the most people incarcerated is Texas, with 738,000 men and women.
By South it has the most people in incarcerated with 2,730,900.
U.S.A world’s Worst Prison States is Global, this shows 9 countries with USA been the
highest with 7,000,000 and Japan having the least with less than 1,000,000 people in
prison. No county comes near to how many people the U.S have in incarceration.

A.) Magnitude:
I.) How large or severe is the problem?
 Problem Definition Paper 3
The problem is very large, if 30.2% of our population is on probation, parole, or
incarcerated. In 1980 to 1985 that was the biggest jump from 1,840,400 to 3,011,500.

II) How many people does it affect?

It shows as of 2006 it affects 7,211,400 people men, women and races. That is not even
including the inmates’ family and friends. Younger children lose their parents and some
have to go to foster homes.

III) What are the costs of the problem expressed in terms of money?
Morbidity, or mortality? Data on magnitude are usually Univariate and
sometimes consist of rank order list

When it comes to getting money for the prisons and jail it most of the time comes
from the tax payers. Every year around $30 million is spent annually on the prisons when
their budget is on $5 million a year. Well too much money is spent on the prisons or jails
when they should be spent in other places.

B) Scope: I.) How widespread is the problem?

The problem is all over but it’s not as bad everywhere else as it is in the United
State, China have less than 200,000 and Mexico has less than 50,000 incarcerated. This
shows that the US using our tax money to build jails and prison.

II) What percentage of selected populations is affected?

The number of population that is affected by this is, 30.2% of the United States,
and every year the numbers is getting larger and larger.

C.) Change: How has the problem varied or changed over time?
Over the past 20 years the problem has changed but not in a good way in 1980
there were 1,840,400 men and women, on probation, parole, and jail or in prison. In 2006
there were 7,211,400 men and woman on probation, parole, or incarcerated.

D.) Disparities: Are there differences in the problem in terms of race, sex, age, SES,
sexual orientation, or disability?

Are there Differences in the problem in terms of race, sex, age, SES, sexual
orientation, or disability? There is a big difference when it comes to men and women, as
of 2006 there are 5,910,000 men and 1,301,400 women, either on probation, parole, or
incarcerated. In 2003 whites had the highest percent of men and women on probation
 Problem Definition Paper 4
with 56%. Blacks had 30%, Hispanic was 12%, American Indian/Alaska Native and
Asian/pacific Islanders had 1%.

4.) Data table

Table 337. Jail Inmates by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1990 to 2008
[As of June 30. Data based on the Annual Survey of Jails, a sample survey and subject to
sampling variability]
Characteristic 1990 1995 2000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Total inmates 1, 2 . . 405,320 507,044 621,149 713,990 747,529 765,819 780,174 785,556
Incarceration rate
per 100,000 residents . . 163 193 220 243 252 256 259 259
Rated capacity 3, 4 . . . 389,171 545,763 677,787 755,603 789,001 794,984 810,543 828,413
Adult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403,019 499,300 613,534 706,907 740,770 759,717 773,341 777,852
Male. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365,821 448,000 543,120 619,908 646,807 661,164 673,346 678,677
Female . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,198 51,300 70,414 86,999 93,963 98,552 99,995 99,175
Juveniles 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,301 7,800 7,615 7,083 6,759 6,102 6,833 7,703
White, non-Hispanic . . . . . . . 169,600 203,300 260,500 317,400 331,000 336,500 338,200
333,300
Black, non-Hispanic . . . . . . . 172,300 220,600 256,300 275,400 290,500 295,900 301,700
308,000
Hispanic/Latino . . . . . . . . . . 58,100 74,400 94,100 108,300 111,900 119,200 125,500 128,500
Other 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,400 8,800 10,200 12,900 13,000 13,500 13,900 14,000
1 Total does not include offenders who were supervised outside of jail facilities. 2 Race/Hispanic
origin data do not include
the two or more race data. 3 Beginning 1995, rated capacity subject to sampling error. 4 Rated
capacity is the number of beds
or inmates assigned by a rating official to facilities within each jurisdiction. 5 Juveniles are
persons held under the age of 18.
Includes juveniles who were tried or awaiting trial as adults. 6 Excludes persons of Hispanic or
Latino origin. Includes American
Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, and Pacific Islanders.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Jail
Inmates at Midyear, Series
NCJ 2221945 and NCJ 225709 annual. See also <http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/jails.htm>.

Adults on Probation or Parole, Incarcerated in Jail or Prison:

1980 to 2007
[As of December 31, except jail counts as of June 30]
Year
Total 1
Supervision
rate per
100,000
adults
Community supervision Incarceration
Probation Parole Jail Prison Male 2 Female 2
1980. . . . . . . . . . 1,840,400 1.1 1,118,097 220,438 182,288 319,598 (NA) (NA)
1985. . . . . . . . . . 3,011,500 1.7 1,968,712 300,203 254,986 487,593 2,606,000 405,500
1990. . . . . . . . . . 4,350,343 2.3 2,670,234 531,407 405,320 743,382 3,746,300 601,700
1992. . . . . . . . . . 4,762,600 2.5 2,811,611 658,601 441,781 850,566 4,050,300 712,300
1993. . . . . . . . . . 4,944,000 2.6 2,903,061 676,100 455,500 909,381 4,215,800 728,200
1994. . . . . . . . . . 5,141,300 2.7 2,981,022 690,371 479,800 990,147 4,377,400 763,900
1995. . . . . . . . . . 5,342,900 2.8 3,077,861 679,421 507,044 1,078,542 4,513,000 822,100
1996. . . . . . . . . . 5,482,700 2.8 3,164,996 679,733 510,400 1,127,528 4,629,900 852,800
1997. . . . . . . . . . 5,725,800 2.9 3,296,513 694,787 557,974 1,176,564 4,825,300 900,500
1998. . . . . . . . . . 6,126,100 3.1 3,670,441 696,385 584,372 1,224,469 (NA) (NA)
1999. . . . . . . . . . 6,331,400 3.1 3,779,922 714,457 596,485 1,287,172 (NA) (NA)
2000 3. . . . . . . . . 6,445,100 3.1 3,826,209 723,898 621,149 1,316,333 5,376,300 1,068,800
2001 3. . . . . . . . . 6,581,700 3.1 3,931,731 732,333 631,240 1,330,007 5,468,900 1,112,800
2002 3. . . . . . . . . 6,758,800 3.1 4,024,067 750,934 665,475 1,367,547 5,579,500 1,179,300
2003 3, 4 . . . . . . . 6,924,500 3.2 4,120,012 769,925 691,301 1,390,279 5,724,200 1,200,300
2004 3. . . . . . . . . 6,995,100 3.2 4,143,792 771,852 713,990 1,421,345 5,767,300 1,227,800
2005 3. . . . . . . . . 7,051,900 3.1 4,166,757 780,616 747,529 1,448,344 5,823,200 1,228,700
2006 5. . . . . . . . . 7,181,500 3.2 4,215,361 799,058 766,010 1,492,973 5,885,300 1,296,000
2007 6, 7 . . . . . . . 7,328,200 3.2 4,293,163 824,365 780,581 1,512,576 6,027,500 1,300,200
NA Not available. 1 Totals may not add due to individuals having multiple correctional statuses. 2 Estimated. 3 The jail
population includes juveniles held as adults. 4 Due to changes in reporting, total probation and parole counts include estimated
counts for Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington. 5 Illinois did not provide prison or parole data for 2006, therefore, all
prison and parole data for Illinois were estimated. 6 Illinois and Nevada did not provide prison data for 2007; therefore, all prison
data for these states were estimated. 7 Oklahoma did not provide probation or parole data for 2007, therefore, all probation and
parole data were estimated.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Prisoners Inmates at
Midyear 2008—Statistical Tables; Jail Inmates at Midyear 2008—Statistical Tables; Probation and Parole in the United States,
2007—Statistical Tables; Prisoners in 2007; Probation and Parole in the United States, 2007; and Prisoners in 2006. See also
<http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/correct.htm>.