Demographics of the Prison Population
2018
|
Prison Population |
California |
|
|
Total Population |
127,709 |
30,567,090 |
|
Gender |
||
|
Male |
95% |
49% |
|
Female |
5 |
51 |
|
Ethnicity |
||
|
Hispanic |
44% |
36% |
|
Black |
28 |
6 |
|
White |
21 |
40 |
|
Other |
7 |
19 |
|
Age |
||
|
18‑24 |
9% |
12% |
|
25‑29 |
16 |
10 |
|
30‑39 |
30 |
19 |
|
40‑49 |
21 |
17 |
|
50‑59 |
15 |
16 |
|
60 and older |
8 |
26 |
|
Details may not total due to rounding. |
||
The vast majority of the state prison population is male. Black and Hispanic males comprise 72 percent of inmates. More than half of inmates are under 40 years of age.
By comparison, the California population has significantly higher percentages of women, whites, and older individuals than are in prison.
During the past 10 years, the number of individuals in prison has decreased by 25 percent. During this time, the share of inmates who are Hispanic has increased by about 15 percent, while the share of inmates who are white or black has decreased. The prison population has also become older with a decrease in the share of inmates between 18 and 29 years of age and an increase in the share of inmates aged 50 or older. The gender distribution of the prison population has relatively remained stable.
For more information on the inmate population, see the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Offender Data Points.
Last Updated: January 2020