U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bulletin

September 2017, NCJ 250652

American Indian and Alaska Natives 

in Local Jails, 1999-2014

Todd D. Minton, BJS Statistician

Susan Brumbaugh and Harley Rohloff, RTI International

An estimated 10,400 American Indian and 

Alaska Native (AIAN) inmates were held 

in local jails at midyear 2014, up from an 

estimated 5,500 at midyear 1999 (figure 1, table 1).

1

At midyear 2014, AIAN inmates accounted for 

1.4% of all (744,600) local jail inmates (figure 2). 

The percentage of AIAN inmates held in local jails 

remained stable from 2006 to 2014. 

Data in this report are from the Census of Jails (1999 

and 2013), Census of Jail Inmates (2005), and Annual 

Survey of Jails (2000-2014). The report also uses 

data from the National Inmate Survey (2011-12) to 

examine the characteristics of adult AIAN inmates 

held in local jails. The report provides state and 

national level estimates and examines jail inmates by 

race and Hispanic origin. 

1Based on a single race and excludes persons of Hispanic or Latino 

origin. See Reporting of race and Hispanic origin data text box on 

page 8.

0

3,000

6,000

9,000

12,000

1999** 2005** 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014* 0.0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

Number of inmates Percent of inmates 

Number Percent

Figure 1

American Indian and Alaska Natives in local jails, 

1999, 2005, and 2010–2014 

*Comparison year.

**Difference with comparison year in the number of inmates is 

significant at the 95% confidence level.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 

2010–2014; Census of Jails, midyear 1999; and Census of Jail Inmates, 

midyear 2005.

HIGHLIGHTS

 At midyear 2014, an estimated 10,400 American 

Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) inmates were held 

in local jails, nearly double the number held in 

1999 (5,500).

 From 1999 to 2014, the number of AIAN jail inmates 

increased by an average of 4.3% per year, compared 

to an increase of 1.4% per year for all other 

races combined.

 Between 1999 and 2013, the AIAN jail incarceration 

rate increased from 288 to 398 AIAN inmates per 

100,000 AIAN U.S. residents.

 An estimated 71% of adult AIAN jail inmates were 

age 39 or younger. 

 Nearly a quarter (24%) of AIAN jail inmates were 

held for a violent offense.

 AIAN jail inmates were equally as likely as adult 

inmates of other races and Hispanic origin to be 

held for a violent sexual offense (about 5% each).

 About 12% of the adult AIAN jail population were 

drug offenders, which was significantly lower 

than adult jail inmates of other races and Hispanic 

origin (24%).
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 2

Local jail facilities include confinement facilities administered 

by local or regional law enforcement agencies and private 

facilities operated under contract to such agencies. They 

exclude jails administered by federal, state prison, or tribal 

authorities. This analysis includes 15 locally operated jails in 

Alaska, but excludes the combined jails and prison systems 

in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, 

and Vermont. In addition to the 10,400 AIAN inmates held 

in local jails, 21,600 were held in state and federal prisons in 

2014. (See the text box More than 34,000 American Indian and 

Alaska Natives were held in local jails and in state and federal 

prisons in 2014.)

The number of AIANs held in local jails nearly 

doubled from 1999 to 2014

While AIAN inmates made up a small proportion of the jail 

population, the number of AIAN inmates held in county 

and city jails increased nearly 90% from 1999 to 2014. 

Non-Hispanic white inmates accounted for 47% of the jail 

population in 2014, up from 41% in 1999.2 In comparison, 

the percentage of non-Hispanic black inmates held in local 

jails declined from 42% in 1999 to 35% in 2014. Hispanics 

accounted for 15% of the jail population, which was 

unchanged from 1999 to 2014. 

0

160,000

320,000

480,000

640,000

800,000

1999** 2005 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*

97.5

98.0

98.5

99.0

99.5

100

Number of inmates Percent of inmates

Number

Percent

Figure 2

Inmates of races and Hispanic origin other than American 

Indians and Alaska Natives in local jails, 1999, 2005, and 

2010-2014

*Comparison year.

**Difference with comparison year in the number of inmates is significant at the 

95% confidence level.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 2010–2014; 

Census of Jails, midyear 1999; and Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005.

Table 1

Estimated number and percent of inmates in local jails, by race and Hispanic origin, 1999–2000 and 2005–2014

Total American Indian and Alaska Nativea All other races and Hispanic origin

Year Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

1999 605,900** 100% 5,500** 0.9% 600,400** 99.1%

2000 621,100** 100% 5,500** 0.9 615,600** 99.1

2005 747,500 100% 7,600** 1.0 739,900 99.0

2006 765,800** 100% 8,400 1.1 757,400** 98.9

2007 780,200** 100% 8,600 1.1 771,500** 98.9

2008 785,500** 100% 9,000 1.1 776,600** 98.9

2009 767,400** 100% 9,400 1.2 758,100** 98.8

2010 748,700 100% 9,900 1.3 738,800 98.7

2011 735,600 100% 9,400 1.3 726,200 98.7

2012 744,500 100% 9,300 1.2 735,300 98.8

2013 731,200 100% 10,200 1.4 721,000 98.6

2013b 731,600 100% 8,800 1.2 722,800 98.7

2014* 744,600 100% 10,400 1.4 734,200 98.6

Average annual changec

1999–2005 3.6%** 5.5%** 3.5%**

2005–2010 0.0 5.4** 0.0

2010–2014 -0.1 1.2 -0.2

1999–2014 1.4** 4.3** 1.4**

Note: Detail may not sum to total due to rounding. Excludes jails in Indian country, jails under federal jurisdiction, and combined jail and prison systems in Alaska, Connecticut, 

Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Includes 15 locally operated jails in Alaska. Data are adjusted for survey and item nonresponse. Unless noted, data are based 

on the number of inmates held on the last weekday in June. See appendix table 1 for reported data, appendix table 2 for standard errors, and appendix table 3 for confidence 

intervals. 

*Comparison year.

**Difference with comparison year is significant at the 95% confidence level.

aExcludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin.

bData are based on the number of inmates held on December 31, 2013.

cComparisons for significance tests were based on each year group.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 2000 and midyear 2006–2014; Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005; and 

Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.

2See Jail Inmates in 2015, NCJ 250394, BJS web, December 2016.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 3

From midyear 1999 to midyear 2014, the number of AIAN 

inmates held in local jails grew by an average of 4.3% each 

year, compared to an increase of 1.4% per year for all other 

races and Hispanic origin combined. The average annual 

growth of AIAN inmates from 1999 to 2005 was 5.5% and 

5.4% from 2005 to 2010. In comparison, the number of jail 

inmates of all other races and Hispanic origin grew an average 

of 3.5% each year from 1999 to 2005, and remained stable 

from midyear 2005 to midyear 2014.

The majority of AIAN jail inmates were held in the 

Midwest and West

AIAN inmates made up 0.2% of all inmates in the Northeast, 

0.4% in the South, 2.1% in the Midwest, and 3.0% in the 

West on December 31, 2013 (the latest year for which statelevel data were available) (not shown). AIAN inmates were 

held in local jails in nearly every state on December 31, 

2013. About 80% of these inmates were held in jurisdictions 

located in the Midwest and West in 1999, 2005, and 2013 

(figure 3, table 2). 

From 1999 to 2013, jails in Arizona reported the largest 

increase in the percentage of AIANs held in local jails, 

from 8% of the Arizona jail population in 1999 to 11% by 

yearend 2013. In comparison, jails in California reported 

the largest decline in percentages, from 9% in 1999 to 6% by 

yearend 2013.

Based on the absolute jail population at yearend 2013, New 

Mexico jails held the greatest number of AIAN inmates 

(1,180), followed by jails in seven states that held at least 500 

AIAN inmates: Arizona (970), Oklahoma (850), South Dakota 

(670), Washington (620), California (550), Wisconsin (540), 

and Minnesota (500). Eight states held fewer than 10 AIAN 

inmates at yearend 2013: Massachusetts (9), Mississippi (9), 

Ohio (7), New Hampshire (6), Georgia (6), West Virginia (3), 

and Alabama (1). The District of Columbia reported holding 

no AIAN inmates at yearend 2013.

Figure 3

American Indian and Alaska Natives in local jails, by region, 1999, 2005, and 2013

1999

2005

2013

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Northeast South Midwest West

Percent

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on 

Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 4

Table 2

American Indian and Alaska Natives in local jails, by jurisdiction, 1999, 2005, and 2013

Number Percent

Region and jurisdiction 1999a 2005a 2013b 1999a 2005a 2013b

U.S. total 5,500 7,600 8,800 100% 100% 100%

Northeast 160 240 200 2.9% 3.2% 2.3%

Maine 20 10 20 0.4 0.1 0.2

Massachusetts 20 20 9 0.4 0.3 0.1

New Hampshire 6 3 6 0.1 0.0 0.1

New Jersey 20 100 20 0.4 1.3 0.2

New York 90 60 100 1.6 0.8 1.1

Pennsylvania 10 40 50 0.2 0.5 0.6

Midwest 1,530 1,980 2,480 27.8% 26.1% 28.2%

Illinois 20 5 30 0.4 0.1 0.3

Indiana 10 10 20 0.2 0.1 0.2

Iowa 30 30 50 0.5 0.4 0.6

Kansas 40 70 60 0.7 0.9 0.7

Michigan 70 80 100 1.3 1.1 1.1

Minnesota 380 470 500 6.9 6.2 5.7

Missouri 3 10 10 0.1 0.1 0.1

Nebraska 90 160 150 1.6 2.1 1.7

North Dakota 180 230 340 3.3 3.0 3.9

Ohio 10 6 7 0.2 0.1 0.1

South Dakota 310 430 670 5.6 5.7 7.6

Wisconsin 380 470 540 6.9 6.2 6.1

South 760 1,230 1,420 13.8% 16.2% 16.1%

Alabama 20 20 1 0.4 0.3 0.0

Arkansas 9 5 10 0.2 0.1 0.1

District of Columbia 0 1 0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Florida 8 20 30 0.1 0.3 0.3

Georgia 6 6 6 0.1 0.1 0.1

Kentucky 3 10 10 0.1 0.1 0.1

Louisiana 3 7 40 0.1 0.1 0.5

Maryland 4 9 10 0.1 0.1 0.1

Mississippi 20 70 9 0.4 0.9 0.1

North Carolina 170 240 340 3.1 3.2 3.9

Oklahoma 430 740 850 7.8 9.7 9.7

South Carolina 20 20 10 0.4 0.3 0.1

Tennessee 10 10 10 0.2 0.1 0.1

Texas 50 80 30 0.9 1.1 0.3

Virginia 10 10 30 0.2 0.1 0.3

West Virginia 0 1 3 0.0 0.0 0.0

West 3,050 4,120 4,680 55.5% 54.2% 53.2%

Alaska 30 30 30 0.5 0.4 0.3

Arizona 450 820 970 8.2 10.8 11.0

California 490 590 550 8.9 7.8 6.3

Colorado 110 120 90 2.0 1.6 1.0

Idaho 110 120 140 2.0 1.6 1.6

Montana 300 530 460 5.5 7.0 5.2

Nevada 70 100 120 1.3 1.3 1.4

New Mexico 660 810 1,180 12.0 10.7 13.4

Oregon 80 100 100 1.5 1.3 1.1

Utah 140 200 300 2.5 2.6 3.4

Washington 530 590 620 9.6 7.8 7.0

Wyoming 80 120 130 1.5 1.6 1.5

Note: Excludes jails in Indian country, jails under federal jurisdiction, and combined jail and prison systems in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and 

Vermont. Includes 15 locally operated jails in Alaska. Data are adjusted for survey and item nonresponse. The number of American Indian and Alaska Natives held in local jails 

excludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin. State data are adjusted for item nonresponse and rounded to the nearest 10, except in states with an inmate populations of less 

than 10. The U.S. total is rounded to the nearest 100.

aData are based on the last weekday in June. 

bData are based on the number of inmates held on December 31, 2013.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on 

Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 5

About 22% of jails held at least one AIAN inmate

Approximately 700 local jail facilities (22% of all local 

jails nationwide) held at least one AIAN inmate on 

December 31, 2013 (figure 4). Ten facilities held more 

than 100 AIAN inmates at yearend (ranging from 

124 to 353 inmates). In 4 of these 10 facilities, AIAN inmates 

made up more than 50% of their total population. In 2 of these 

10 facilities, AIAN inmates made up less than 10% of their 

total inmate population. Three of these 10 facilities held about 

10% of all AIAN inmates held in the 700 local jail facilities: 

San Juan County Adult Detention Center, New Mexico (353); 

Maricopa County Jail System, Arizona (324); and Pennington 

County Jail, South Dakota (262).

Of the approximately 700 facilities holding at least one AIAN 

inmate on December 31, 2013, 4 facilities reported that AIANs 

made up all of their inmate population (each of these facilities 

reported holding fewer than 10 inmates), 40 facilities reported 

that AIANs made up at least half of their inmate population, 

and 64 facilities reported AIANs made up at least a third 

of their inmate population. In comparison, 216 facilities 

reported that AIAN inmates made up less than 1% of their 

inmate population.

A small number of inmates were held for tribal authorities

Fifty-three local jail facilities held approximately 

540 inmates for tribal authorities on December 31, 2013. 

Of these, 25 facilities held about 325 inmates for the 

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and 28 facilities held about 

215 inmates for AIAN tribal governments.3 The 540 inmates 

held on behalf of tribal authorities made up a small portion of 

both the 731,600 inmates held on December 31, 2013, and the 

estimated 109,000 inmates held in local jails for all authorities 

(including federal, state, and tribal authorities).

The AIAN jail incarceration rate continued to increase

At yearend 2013, local jails in the United States incarcerated 

237 persons per 100,000 residents of all ages and races 

and Hispanic ethnicity. This was a slight increase from 

1999 (228 per 100,000), but a decline from 259 persons per 

100,000 residents in 2005 (table 3). For AIANs (single race, 

not of Hispanic or Latino origin), the jail incarceration rate 

in 2013 (398 per 100,000 AIAN U.S. residents) was higher 

than the national rate.4 Though the national incarceration 

rate decreased from 2005 to 2013, the AIAN incarceration 

rate increased from 359 in 2005 to 398 in 2013. While AIANs 

3Inmates held for the BIA and tribal governments were typically AIAN. 

4Based on a single race and excludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Figure 4

Geographic distribution of local jail facilities holding American Indian and Alaska Native inmates, December 31, 2013

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, 2013.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 6

Table 3

Local jail inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents, by race and Hispanic origin and jurisdiction, 1999, 2005, and 2013

Total American Indian and Alaska Native* All other races and Hispanic origin

Region and jurisdiction 1999a 2005a 2013b 1999a 2005a 2013b 1999a 2005a 2013b

U.S. total 228 259 237 288 359 398 228 258 236

Northeast 193 197 183 158 218 178 193 197 183

Maine 89 117 132 304 169 276 88 117 131

Massachusetts 174 197 154 190 199 74 174 197 155

New Hampshire 133 132 139 247 109 215 132 132 139

New Jersey 207 202 171 113 802 131 207 201 171

New York 184 153 137 165 104 168 184 154 137

Pennsylvania 225 277 287 80 220 263 225 277 287

Midwest 154 187 176 429 522 618 153 185 173

Illinois 139 157 160 85 27 145 139 157 160

Indiana 215 280 253 89 78 154 215 281 253

Iowa 104 123 130 428 414 538 104 122 129

Kansas 165 252 237 173 314 257 165 251 237

Michigan 158 179 165 135 153 170 159 179 165

Minnesota 105 137 118 693 838 866 98 129 110

Missouri 127 180 189 16 54 54 127 181 190

Nebraska 131 176 186 668 1,081 977 127 169 179

North Dakota 93 148 171 606 691 912 67 118 130

Ohio 148 173 157 49 28 33 148 173 157

South Dakota 145 185 199 521 649 944 112 141 131

Wisconsin 239 258 212 870 997 1,085 234 252 204

South 297 343 309 130 182 185 299 344 310

Alabama 261 332 322 128 71 4 262 333 324

Arkansas 189 220 291 70 29 63 190 222 293

District of Columbia 318 645 378 0 82 0 319 646 379

Florida 338 358 268 17 37 56 339 359 268

Georgia 422 496 417 37 32 25 422 497 418

Kentucky 262 402 437 59 162 126 262 402 437

Louisiana 586 704 669 18 29 139 589 708 672

Maryland 212 221 194 30 65 86 212 222 194

Mississippi 321 391 448 200 524 63 321 390 449

North Carolina 174 198 188 177 234 307 174 197 187

Oklahoma 201 270 329 169 262 271 203 271 334

South Carolina 226 287 228 163 118 77 226 288 228

Tennessee 358 406 410 107 79 73 358 407 411

Texas 289 291 250 89 98 39 290 292 251

Virginia 265 349 347 62 61 150 266 350 348

West Virginia 138 224 217 0 31 77 138 225 217

West 224 242 216 352 438 506 222 239 213

Alaska : : : : : : : : :

Arizona 216 261 210 196 309 361 217 258 204

California 233 227 214 255 312 332 233 227 214

Colorado 222 292 221 430 361 264 221 292 221

Idaho 224 265 207 803 693 793 218 260 201

Montana 172 242 282 540 901 743 148 198 252

Nevada 271 294 244 248 383 475 271 293 242

New Mexico 300 442 427 428 450 660 287 441 405

Oregon 189 180 143 204 240 225 189 179 142

Utah 189 273 247 529 718 1,079 185 268 239

Washington 183 202 174 572 641 682 177 195 167

Wyoming 210 305 251 780 1,064 1,040 197 288 235

Note: Excludes jails in Indian country, jails under federal jurisdiction and combined jail and prison systems in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

:Not calculated for 15 locally operated jails in Alaska due to low population counts.

*Excludes persons of Hispanic or Latino origin and persons of two of more races.

aData are based on the last weekday in June. 

bData are based on the number of inmates held on December 31, 2013.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on 

Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013. Residential populations are based on Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for 1999, 2005, and 2013.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 7

in the U.S. resident population grew 16% from 1999 to 2013. 

the number of AIANs held in local jails increased 60%, which 

resulted in the higher incarceration rate in 2013.

Wisconsin had the highest AIAN jail incarceration rate 

in 2013. From 1999 to 2013, its rate increased 25%, from 

870 to 1,085 per 100,000 AIAN Wisconsin residents. The 

number of AIAN inmates held in Wisconsin jails increased 

42% (160 inmates) during the same period, while its AIAN 

resident population increased by 15%. At yearend 2013, five 

other states had an AIAN jail incarceration rate of at least 

900 per 100,000 residents of all ages: Utah (1,079 per 100,000), 

Wyoming (1,040), Nebraska, (977), South Dakota (944), and 

North Dakota (912). From 1999 to 2013, Utah's incarceration 

rate increased 104%, from 529 to 1,079. The number of 

AIAN inmates held in Utah jails increased 114% (up 160 

inmates) during the same period, while its AIAN resident 

population increased by 7%. From 1999 to 2013, Wyoming's 

incarceration rate increased 33%, from 780 to 1,040. The 

number of AIAN inmates held in Wyoming jails increased 

63% (up 50 inmates) during the same period, while its AIAN 

resident population increased by 23%. In all, 13 states had a 

higher AIAN incarceration rate than the national AIAN jail 

incarceration rate (398 per 100,000).

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on 

Inmates Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.

Figure 5

Incarceration rates for American Indian and Alaska Native jail inmates, by region, 1999, 2005, and 2013

Number

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Total Northeast South Midwest West

1999

2005

2013

From 1999 to 2013, of the 31 states whose AIAN jail 

incarceration rate increased, 22 states also experienced an 

increase in the incarceration rate among inmates of Hispanic 

origin and all other races other than AIAN. Among the 

13 states that had a decrease in the AIAN jail incarceration 

rate, eight experienced an increase in the jail incarceration rate 

among inmates of Hispanic origin and all other races other 

than AIAN.

At yearend 2013, jails in the Midwest (618 per 100,000 

AIAN Midwest residents) and West (506) had a higher 

AIAN jail incarceration rate than the national AIAN 

jail incarceration rate (figure 5). A similar increase was 

observed in the Midwest from 1999 (429 AIANs per 

100,000 residents) to 2005 (522) and in the West from 

1999 (352) to 2005 (438). Jails in the South and Northeast 

both experienced increases in AIAN incarceration rates 

between 1999 and 2005. The incarceration rate for AIANs 

in Southern states was flat between 2005 and yearend 2013 

(185 per 100,000 in 2013), while jails in the Northeast had 

lower incarceration rates in 2013 (178 per 100,000).
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 8

An estimated 71% of adult AIAN jail inmates were 

age 39 or younger in 2011

Males made up 80% of adult AIAN jail inmates (single race, 

not of Hispanic or Latino origin) in 2011, the most recent year 

for which detailed survey data are available (table 4). Females 

accounted for 20% of adult AIAN inmates. The proportions of 

both AIAN males and females were significantly different than 

the distribution of male (87%) and female (13%) inmates for 

all other races and Hispanic origin. An estimated 71% of adult 

AIAN jail inmates were age 39 or younger. Young adults (ages 

18 to 24) accounted for about 20% of all adult AIAN inmates, 

and 5% of AIAN inmates were age 55 or older. Except for 

inmates ages 18 to 24, the age distribution of adult AIAN jail 

inmates was not significantly different from all other races and 

Hispanic origin combined.

In 2011, nearly a quarter (24%) of the AIAN jail inmates were 

held for a violent offense, including 5% for a violent sexual 

offense. AIAN jail inmates were equally as likely as adult jail 

inmates of all other races and Hispanic origin to be held for 

violent sexual offense. Drug offenders accounted for 12% of 

the adult AIAN jail population, which was significantly lower 

than all other inmates (24%). However, AIAN jail inmates were 

more likely (14%) than all other inmates (6%) to be held for 

a DWI/DUI of alcohol or drugs. The distribution of inmates 

held for an other public order offense (about 1 in 10) was the 

same for AIAN inmates and inmates of all other races and 

Hispanic origin.

TABLE 4

Characteristics of adult inmates in local jails, by race and 

Hispanic origin, 2011

Characteristic Total

American 

Indian and 

Alaska Nativea

All other races 

and Hispanic 

origin*

Sex

Male 87.3% 80.1%** 87.3%

Female 12.7 19.9** 12.7

Age

18–19 5.6% 3.8%** 5.6%

20–24 20.2 16.5** 20.3

25–29 18.8 20.9 18.8

30–34 16.0 15.8 16.1

35–39 11.2 14.2 11.2

40–44 9.7 9.3 9.7

45–54 14.2 14.5 14.2

55 or older 4.2 5.0 4.1

Most serious offense

Violent sexualb 5.1% 4.7% 5.2%

Other violentc 16.8 18.8 16.8

Propertyd 25.3 23.1 25.4

Druge 23.5 11.9** 23.7

DWI/DUIf 5.6 13.6** 5.5

Other public order offense 8.7 9.6 8.6

Other 14.9 18.2 14.8

Sentence length

Unsentenced 53.3% 47.0%** 53.2%

29 days or fewer 2.7 5.9 2.7

30 days to 6 months 10.4 16.0** 10.3

6 months to 1 year 10.2 10.8 10.2

1 to 5 years 14.4 14.0 14.4

5 years or more 9.1 6.3** 9.2

Prior incarceration as adult

or juvenile

Yes 71.3% 79.3%** 71.3%

No 28.7 20.7** 28.7

Time in current facility since

admission

29 days or fewer 31.4% 40.5%** 31.4%

30 days to 6 months 47.3 45.4 47.3

6 months to 1 year 13.0 8.9** 13.0

1 year or more 8.4 5.2** 8.4

Total number of inmates 720,200 12,100 708,100

Note: The NIS-3 was conducted from February 2011 to May 2012. The NIS estimates 

were ratio adjusted to the midyear 2011 population. See appendix table 4 for 

standard errors. 

*Comparison group.

**Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level. 

aExcludes persons of Hispanic and Latino origin.

bIncludes rape, statutory rape, sexual assault, child molestation, pornography, incest, 

and indecent exposure.

cIncludes robbery, manslaughter, attempted murder, and murder.

dIncludes burglary, larceny, theft, auto theft, bad checks, fraud, forgery, arson, and 

possession of stolen goods.

eIncludes possessing, selling, trafficking, importing, smuggling, and manufacturing 

illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.

f

Includes driving while intoxicated and driving while under the influence of drugs or 

alcohol.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Inmate Survey, 2011–2012.

Reporting of race and Hispanic 

origin data

For this report, the inmate count of American Indian and 

Alaska Natives (AIAN) was based on race and Hispanic origin 

and not on tribal membership. Except for table 5, the AIAN 

jail population was based on a single race and excludes 

persons of Hispanic or Latino origin. Table 5 compares 

selected characteristics of AIAN jail inmates based on the 

following four race and Hispanic origin categories in the 

2011-12 National Inmate Survey (NIS-3):5

 AIAN, single race, not Hispanic or Latino origin

 AIAN, two or more races, not Hispanic or Latino origin 

 AIAN, single race, Hispanic or Latino origin

 All AIAN jail inmates, including Hispanic and 

non-Hispanic AIANs and single or multiple race AIANs.

5Excluded AIANs of two or more races who were of Hispanic or Latino 

origin. These persons were not randomly selected for the NIS-3.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 9

TABLE 5 

Characteristics of adult American Indian and Alaska Native jail inmates, 2011

Non-Hispanic Hispanic origin, 

Characteristic Total Single race* Two or more races single race

Sex

Male 84.4% 80.1% 85.1% 86.2%

Female 15.6 19.9 14.9 13.8

Age

18–19 6.0% 3.8% 6.2%** 7.3%**

20–24 19.7 16.5 20.9** 18.1

25–29 18.4 20.9 17.1 20.5

30–34 15.7 15.8 15.4 16.8

35–39 11.4 14.2 11.1 9.8**

40–44 9.5 9.3 9.8 8.5

45–54 14.8 14.5 14.9 14.7

55 or older 4.5 5.0 4.4 4.4

Most serious offense

Violent sexual offensea 6.8% 4.7% 7.6%** 5.8%

Other violentb 18.1 18.8 17.3 20.5

Propertyc 25.6 23.1 26.7 23.8

Drugd 19.2 11.9 21.8** 17.1**

DWI/DUIe 6.0 13.6 3.7** 6.9**

Other public order offense 8.8 9.6 8.5 9.6

Other 15.4 18.2 14.5 16.4

Sentence length

Unsentenced 51.1% 47.0% 52.5% 50.4%

29 days or fewer 3.9 5.9 2.8 5.7

30 days to 6 months 11.2 16.0 10.4** 9.6**

6 months to 1 year 9.8 10.8 9.3 10.6

1 to 5 years 15.3 14.0 15.9 14.2

5 years or more 8.7 6.3 9.1 9.5

Prior incarceration as adult or juvenile

Yes 75.2% 79.3% 75.8% 69.1%**

No 24.8 20.7 24.2 30.8**

Time in current facility since admission

29 days or fewer 33.1% 40.5% 30.9%** 33.5%**

30 days to 6 months 47.0 45.4 48.6 43.3

6 months to 1 year 11.7 8.9 11.5 14.7**

1 year or more 8.2 5.2 9.0** 8.4

Total number of inmates 68,500 12,100 43,800 12,600

Note: The NIS-3 was conducted from February 2011 to May 2012. The NIS estimates were ratio adjusted to the midyear 2011 population. See appendix table 5 for standard 

errors.

*Comparison group.

**Difference with comparison group is significant at the 95% confidence level. 

aIncludes rape, statutory rape, sexual assault, child molestation, pornography, incest, and indecent exposure.

bIncludes robbery, manslaughter, attempted murder, and murder.

cIncludes burglary, larceny, theft, auto theft, bad checks, fraud, forgery, arson, and possession of stolen goods.

dIncludes possessing, selling, trafficking, importing, smuggling, and manufacturing illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.

eIncludes driving while intoxicated and driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Inmate Survey, 2011–2012.

In 2011, about 8 in 10 adult AIAN jail inmates had been 

previously incarcerated in jail, prison, or other correctional 

facilities. This was higher than all other adult inmates (7 in 

10). Adult AIAN jail inmates (53%) were also more likely than 

all other adult inmates (47%) to be sentenced for their crime. 

However, AIAN jail inmates (6%) were less likely than all 

other adult inmates (9%) to be sentenced for 5 years or longer. 

More adult AIAN inmates (16%) than all other adult inmates 

(10%) were serving 30 days to 6 months. Nearly 4 in 10 adult 

AIAN inmates were held in jail for 29 days or fewer since 

admission, compared to about 3 in 10 inmates of all other races 

and Hispanic origin combined.

The number of jail inmates reporting partial AIAN race was 

six times greater than persons reporting sole AIAN race

In 2011, the AIAN adult jail population ranged from an 

estimated 12,100 inmates (single race, non-Hispanic or 

Latino origin) to 68,500 inmates (all AIAN jail inmates, 

including Hispanic and non-Hispanic AIANs and AIANs of 

single or multiple races) (table 5). (See Reporting of race and 

Hispanic origin data text box for race classification detail.) 

Of the estimated 68,500 AIAN adult jail inmates, 12,600 

were Hispanic or Latino of a single race and 43,800 were 

non-Hispanic or Latino origin of two or more races.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 10

More than 34,000 American Indian and Alaska Natives were held in local jails and 

in state and federal prisons in 2014

The number of American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIAN) 

(single race, not of Hispanic or Latino origin) incarcerated in 

jail or prison reached an estimated 34,400 in 2014, up 72% 

from 20,000 in 1999 (table 6). In 2014, nearly two-thirds 

(21,600) were held in state (17,900) and federal (3,700) prison. 

The remaining 12,780 AIANs were held in local jails (10,400) 

and Indian country jails (2,380). Some AIAN inmates held 

in local jails may have been adjudicated by a tribal criminal 

justice system and housed in jails under contracts with tribal, 

city, or county governments.

From 1999 to 2014, the number of AIAN inmates held in jails 

and prisons nationwide grew by an annual average of about 

3.7%. The largest average annual growth was observed in 

federal prisons (up 5.2%), followed by local jails (up 4.3%), 

state prisons (up 3.2%), and Indian country jails (up 2.6%). 

The AIAN population in federal prison more than doubled 

(up 113%) from 1,740 in 1999 to about 3,700 in 2014. The 

number of AIAN inmates held in local jails increased nearly 

90% from 1999 to 2014, compared to state prisons (up 61%) 

and Indian country jails (up 47%).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 2.3 million 

non-Hispanic AIANs lived in the United States in 2014, up 

from 2 million in 1999.6 The AIAN population accounted for 

less than 1% of the U.S. resident population. The number 

of AIANs held in U.S. jails or prisons accounted for 1% of all 

inmates held in jail or prison in 1999 and 1.6% in 2014. 

The incarceration rate for AIANs was higher than the overall 

national incarceration rate. In 2014, federal, state, local, and 

tribal correctional facilities held about 1,460 AIAN inmates 

per 100,000 AIAN U.S. residents, up 50% from a rate of about 

980 per 100,000 AIAN in 1999 (not shown). The incarceration 

rate among inmates of Hispanic origin and all other races 

other than AIAN remained relatively stable from 1999 (690) to 

2014 (680). While the general population increased at similar 

rates (16% for AIAN and 17% for all other races and Hispanic 

origin), the number of AIANs incarcerated in jail and prison 

increased 72% from 1999 to 2014, compared to 15% among 

inmates of Hispanic origin and all other races combined.

6Includes race alone and excludes Hispanic or Latino origin. 

Combined, males made up 84% of all AIAN adult jail inmates, 

which was similar across all the AIAN race and Hispanic origin 

categories. Regardless of the race and Hispanic origin of adult 

AIAN inmates, nearly 29% were age 40 or older. In comparison, 

nearly 4% of single race AIAN non-Hispanic inmates were ages 

18 to 19. This was significantly smaller than non-Hispanics 

AIANs of two or more races (6%) and Hispanics of single race 

AIAN inmates (7%).

Non-Hispanic AIAN inmates of two or more races were more 

likely to be held for a violent sexual offense (8%) or a drug law 

violation (22%) than single race, non-Hispanic AIAN inmates. 

Similarly, Hispanic single race AIAN inmates were more likely 

to be held for a drug law violation (17%). Combined, 9% of all 

AIAN adult jail inmates were held for a public order offense, 

18% were held for a violent offense other than sexual violence, 

and 26% were held in jail for a property crime.

About half (51%) of all AIAN inmates were unsentenced, 4% 

were serving less than 30 days, and 34% were serving 6 months 

or more. Non-Hispanic AIAN inmates of a single race were 

more likely to serve 30 days to 6 months (16%) than nonHispanic AIAN inmates of two or more races and Hispanic 

AIAN inmates of a single race (10% each).

TABLE 6

American Indian and Alaska Natives in jail and prison, 1999, 2005, and 2014

Number 

Percent of American Indian 

and Alaska Native inmates

Percent change in number of American 

Indian and Alaska Native inmates Average 

annual change, 

Type of facility 1999 2005 2014* 1999 2005 2014 1999–2005 2005–2014 1999–2014 1999–2014

Total 20,000 27,300 34,400 100% 100% 100% 36.5% 26.0% 72.0% 3.7%

Local jailsa 5,500** 7,600** 10,400 27.5% 27.8% 30.2% 38.2% 36.8% 89.1% 4.3%

Jails in Indian countrya 1,620 1,810 2,380 8.1 6.6 6.9 11.7 31.5 46.9 2.6

State prisonsb 11,100 14,700 17,900 55.5 53.8 52.0 32.4 21.8 61.3 3.2

Federal prisonsb 1,740 3,200 3,700 8.7 11.7 10.8 83.9 15.6 112.6 5.2

Note: Detail may not sum to total due to rounding. Local jail data are based on a sample survey and are subject to sampling error. The 2005 Indian country jail population 

was estimated based on the average annual population change for jails reporting in both 2004 and 2007. Excludes 64 AIAN inmates held in Federal Bureau of Prison 

detention centers at yearend 2013.

*Comparison year on local jails.

**Difference with comparison year is significant at the 95% confidence level.

aData are based on the number of inmates held on the last weekday in June.

bState and federal prison data are based on the number of inmates held on December 31.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 2014; Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 2005; Survey of Jails in Indian 

Country, midyear 1999 and 2014; and the National Prisoners Statistics program, yearend 1999, 2005, and 2014.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 11

Methodology

Census of Jails

The Bureau of Justice Statistics' (BJS) Census of Jails is part 

of a series of data collections that describes the nation’s local 

jail inmates and facility characteristics and is a complete 

enumeration of the more than 3,100 local jails in the United 

States. Because the census is a complete enumeration, the 

results are not subject to sampling error. The census supplies 

the sampling frame for BJS's Annual Survey of Jails, the Survey 

of Inmates in Local Jails, and the National Inmate Survey.

Data from Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities that 

function as jails are included in the census. Locally operated 

jails in Alaska, which hold inmates beyond arraignment and 

are staffed by municipal or county employees, are included in 

the census. Local jails are intended for adults but sometimes 

hold juveniles. The census excludes temporary holding 

facilities, such as drunk tanks and police lockups, that do 

not hold persons after they are formally charged in court 

(usually within 72 hours of arrest). The census also excludes 

state-operated facilities in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, 

Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont, which have combined 

jail-prison systems, and are counted in BJS's prison collections.

The Census of Jails collects facility-level information on the—

 number of confined inmates and persons under the 

supervision of jail authorities but not confined in jail

 number of inmates participating in weekend programs

 number of confined non-U.S. citizens

 number of confined inmates by sex and adult or juvenile 

status

 number of juveniles held as adults

 conviction and sentencing status

 offense type

 number of inmates held by race or Hispanic origin

 number of inmates held for other jurisdictions or authorities

 average daily population

 rated capacity

 number of admissions and releases

 program participation for nonconfined inmates

 operating expenditures

 staff by occupational category and race or Hispanic origin.

2013 Census of Jails

The 2013 census included all locally administered 

confinement facilities (3,163) under the authority of 2,872 

local jurisdictions. However, the results were affected by unit 

and item nonresponse. The unit-level response rate for the 

census was 92.4%. Missing item-level response was 1% for the 

inmate population and 5% for inmate race or Hispanic origin. 

Detailed information on the 2013 Census of Jails methodology, 

survey nonresponse, imputation, and weighting procedures 

is available in Census of Jails: Population Changes, 1999–2013

(NCJ 248627, BJS web, December 2015). For this report, BJS 

re-estimated the race data for 18 facilities that imputation 

procedures erroneously inflated the American Indian and 

Alaska Native inmate population. For these 18 facilities, BJS 

applied the racial distribution reported in the most recent 

Annual Survey of Jails or Census of Jails closest to the 2013 

census to the total confined inmate population reported in the 

2013 Census of Jails.

2005 Census of Jail Inmates

The 2005 Census of Jail Inmates included all locally 

administered confinement facilities under the authority of 

2,853 local jurisdictions, 42 privately operated jails under 

contract for local governments, and 65 multi-jurisdiction jails 

administered by two or more local governments. Thirteen 

facilities maintained by the BOP and functioning as jails were 

included in the census but excluded from the report. All jail 

jurisdictions responded to the census, resulting in a 100% 

response rate. Missing item-level response for inmate race or 

Hispanic origin was 5%. For this report, to provide national 

and state estimates of race, BJS estimated race data for 139 

facilities that reported their total confined inmate population, 

but not race data. For 40 facilities, BJS applied the racial 

distribution reported in the most recent Annual Survey of 

Jails or Census of Jails closest to the 2005 census to the total 

confined inmate population reported in the 2005 Census of 

Jail Inmates. For 99 facilities that did not report race breakout 

in a recent data collection, BJS summed the reported and 

estimated (40 facilities) item values and then multiplied them 

by a nonresponse adjustment factor (NAF). The NAF was 

calculated as a ratio of the total number of inmates in all jails 

by state to the number of inmates in jails by state reported and 

estimated race data. For additional methodology information, 

see Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2005 (NCJ 213133, BJS 

web, May 2006).

1999 Census of Jails

The 1999 Census of Jails included all locally administered 

confinement facilities under the authority of 3,084 local 

jurisdictions. Of these jurisdictions in the final universe, 

251 provided information on critical data items only. Data 

from six jurisdictions that did not respond to any items on 

the questionnaire were imputed based on previous survey 

and census reports. Missing item-level response for inmate 

race or Hispanic origin was 14%. For this report, to provide 

national and state total estimates of race, BJS estimated race 

data for 370 facilities that reported their total confined inmate 

population, but not race data. For 306 facilities, BJS applied the 

racial distribution reported in the most recent Annual Survey 

of Jails or Census of Jails closest to the 1999 census to the total 

confined inmate population reported in the 1999 Census of Jail 

Inmates. For 64 facilities that did not report race breakout in a 

recent data collection, BJS summed the reported and estimated 
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 12

(306 facilities) item values and then multiplied them by a 

NAF. The NAF was calculated as a ratio of the total number 

of inmates in all jails by state to the number of inmates in 

jails by state reported and estimated race data. For additional 

methodology information, see Census of Jails, 1999 (NCJ 

186633, BJS web, August 2001).

Annual Survey of Jails

The ASJ is a sample survey that provides an annual source 

of aggregate data on local jails and jail inmates. The survey 

estimates characteristics of the nation’s jails and inmates 

housed in these jails. Data are collected on admissions and 

releases, number and percentage changes of jail jurisdictions, 

rated capacities and levels of occupancy, population supervised 

in the community, methods of community supervision, 

and crowding issues. The ASJ captures aggregated counts 

by race and sex, but not race by sex of inmate. The number 

of American Indians and Alaska Natives held in local jails 

excludes persons of Hispanic origin. Detailed information 

on the 2007 through 2014 ASJ methodology, including the 

survey nonresponse, imputation, and weighting procedures 

is available in the Jail Inmates at Midyear series. For 2000 

and 2006 information, see Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 

2000 (NCJ 185989, BJS web, March 2001) and Prison and Jail 

Inmates at Midyear 2006 (NCJ 217675, BJS web, June 2007).

National Inmate Survey 

The report uses data from the 2011-12 National Inmate Survey 

(NIS-3) to examine the characteristics of adult AIAN inmates 

held in local jails. The NIS-3 is part of BJS's National Prison 

Rape Statistics Program, which collects reports of sexual 

victimization from administrative records and allegations of 

sexual victimization directly from victims through surveys of 

inmates in prisons and jails. BJS implemented this program to 

meet the requirements of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 

2003 (P.L. 108-79). The inmate surveys contain a wide range 

of data beyond measures of sexual victimization, including 

items useful for describing inmates held in the state and federal 

prisons and local jails and their confinement experiences.

BJS conducted NIS-3 in 233 state and federal prisons, 358 

jails, and 15 special facilities (military, Indian country, and 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)) between 

February 2011 and May 2012. The NIS-3 comprised two 

questionnaires—a survey of sexual victimization and a survey 

of mental and physical health, past drug and alcohol use, 

and treatment for substance abuse. Inmates were randomly 

assigned to receive one of the questionnaires, and the content 

of the survey remained unknown to facility staff and the 

interviewers at the time of the interview.

A total of 106,532 inmates participated in NIS-3. Combined, 

the victimization survey and the randomly assigned 

companion survey included 43,721 inmates in state and 

federal prisons, 61,351 inmates in jails, 605 inmates in military 

facilities, 192 inmates in Indian country jails, and 663 inmates 

in facilities operated by ICE.

Selection of jail facilities

In designing NIS-3, BJS selected a sample of 393 jails to 

represent the 2,957 jail facilities identified in the Census of Jail 

Inmates, 2005, and supplemented the sample with information 

obtained during the NIS-1 and NIS-2. The 2005 census was 

a complete enumeration of all jail jurisdictions, including 

all publicly operated and privately operated facilities under 

contract to jail authorities. The NIS-3 was restricted to jails that 

had six or more inmates on June 30, 2005. Jails identified as 

closed or ineligible during the NIS-1 and NIS-2 were removed 

from the NIS-3 frame. Based on estimates from the 2011 ASJ, 

jails in the NIS-3 held an estimated 720,171 inmates age 18 or 

older and 5,700 inmates ages 16 to 17 on June 30, 2011. 

Selection of inmates within jails

For NIS-3, BJS obtained a roster of inmates immediately 

prior to the start of data collection at each facility. Inmates 

age 15 or younger and inmates who had not been arraigned 

were removed from the roster. Eligible inmates within a 

facility were placed into one of two stratum based on their age. 

Inmates who were ages 16 to 17 (juveniles) were placed in one 

stratum and inmates age 18 or older (adults) were placed in the 

other. Inmates age 15 or younger were considered ineligible for 

the NIS-3.

Selection of adult inmates within jails

The number of adult inmates sampled in each facility varied 

based on six criteria:

 an expected 3% sexual victimization prevalence rate

 a desired level of precision based on a standard error of 1.4%

 a projected 65% response rate among selected inmates

 a 10% chance among participating inmates of not receiving 

the sexual victimization questionnaire

 an adjustment factor of 1.9 to account for the complex 

survey design

 a pre-arraignment adjustment factor equal to 1 in facilities 

where the status was known for all inmates and less than 1 in 

facilities where only the overall proportion of inmates who 

were pre-arraigned was known.

Each eligible adult inmate was assigned a random number 

and sorted in ascending order. Inmates were selected from 

the list up to the expected number of inmates determined 

by the sampling criteria. Due to the dynamic nature of jail 

populations, a second roster of inmates was obtained on the 

first day of data collection. Eligible adult inmates who appeared 

on the second roster but who had not appeared on the initial 

roster were identified. These inmates had been arraigned since 

the initial roster was created or were newly admitted to the 

facility and arraigned. A random sample of the new inmates 

was chosen using the same probability of selection used to 

sample from the first roster.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 13

Methods for adjusting for survey nonresponse and coverage 

error are described in detail in Sexual Victimization in Prisons 

and Jails as Reported by Inmates, 2011–12 (NCJ 241399, 

BJS web, May 2013).

Survey of Jails in Indian Country

The annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country (SJIC) provides 

a source of data on Indian country jails and jail inmates, 

including counts, movements, facility operations, and staff. 

In selected years (1998, 2004, 2007, and 2011), additional 

information was collected on facility programs and services, 

such as medical assessments and mental health screening 

procedures, inmate work assignments, counseling, and 

educational programs.

The enumeration includes all Indian country correctional 

facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, to describe adult and 

juvenile jail facilities and detention centers in Indian country. 

For this report, Indian country included reservations, pueblos, 

rancherias, and other appropriate areas (18 U.S.C. § 1151). 

The number of Indian country jail facilities increased from 

68 at midyear 1999 to 79 facilities at midyear 2014. Detailed 

information on the 1999-2014 SJIC methodology, survey 

nonresponse, and procedures is available in the Jails in Indian 

Country series on the BJS website.

National Prisoner Statistics program

The National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) program collects 

annual data on prisoners at yearend. Prior to 2011, the NPS 

gathered custody population by race at midyear. BJS depends 

entirely on voluntary participation of state departments of 

corrections and BOP for NPS data.

The NPS distinguishes between inmates in custody and 

prisoners under jurisdiction. To have custody of a prisoner, a 

state or the BOP must hold that inmate in one of its facilities. 

To have jurisdiction over a prisoner, the state or BOP must 

have legal authority over that prisoner, regardless of where 

the prisoner is incarcerated or supervised. Some states were 

unable to provide counts that distinguish between custody 

and jurisdiction.

The NPS jurisdiction counts include persons held in prisons, 

penitentiaries, correctional facilities, halfway houses, boot 

camps, farms, training or treatment centers, and hospitals. 

Counts also include prisoners who were temporarily absent 

(less than 30 days), in court, or on work release; housed in 

privately operated facilities, local jails, or other state or federal 

facilities; and serving concurrent sentences for more than one 

correctional authority.

For table 6, the 1999 and 2005 state and federal prison data 

are based on the custody population at midyear, and the 2014 

data are based on the yearend custody population. For this 

report, the state and federal custody prison population for 

2014 is estimated based on the ratio of the custody count to 

the jurisdiction count from the 2010 NPS, and applied to the 

2014 jurisdiction population by race. Detailed information on 

the 1999-2014 NPS methodology, the survey nonresponse, and 

procedures is available in the Prisoners series and Prison and 

Jail Inmates series, which are both on the BJS website.

Additional notes for figures 

Data for figures 1-5 exclude jails in Indian country; the federal 

jurisdiction; and combined jail and prison systems in Alaska, 

Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

Figures include 15 locally operated jails in Alaska. Data are 

adjusted for survey and item nonresponse. The number 

of American Indians and Alaska Natives held in local jails 

excludes persons of Hispanic origin. Unless noted for a specific 

year, data are based on the number of inmates held on the last 

weekday in June.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 14

Appendix Table 1

Reported data for table 1: Estimated number and percent of 

inmates in local jails, by race and Hispanic origin, 1999–2000 

and 2005–2014

Year

American Indian 

and Alaska Native

All other races and

Hispanic origin

1999 4,519 570,241

2000 4,974 559,963

2005 7,270 705,369

2006 8,052 728,023

2007 8,347 747,916

2008 8,638 745,738

2009 8,328 672,590

2010 8,223 612,428

2011 8,527 658,360

2012 8,292 656,966

2013 8,793 622,433

2013 7,521 578,975

2014 9,285 655,290

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 2000 and 

midyear 2006–2014; Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 

2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on Inmates 

Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.

Appendix Table 2

Standard errors for table 1: Estimated number and percent of 

inmates in local jails, by race and Hispanic origin, 1999–2000 

and 2005–2014

Year Total

American Indian 

and Alaska Native

All other races and 

Hispanic origin

1999 ~ ~ ~

2000 2,504 363 3,146

2005 ~ ~ ~

2006 3,552 651 3,817

2007 3,720 700 3,938

2008 4,016 730 4,127

2009 4,231 756 4,847

2010 5,430 1,031 5,750

2011 6,009 933 6,326

2012 7,684 866 7,965

2013 8,042 932 8,359

2013 ~ ~ ~

2014 8,382 926 8,403

~Not applicable. Data represent a complete enumeration based on a jail census.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 2000 and 

midyear 2006 –2014; Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 

2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on Inmates 

Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.

Appendix Table 3

Confidence intervals for table 1: Estimated number and 

percent of inmates in local jails, by race and Hispanic origin, 

1999–2000 and 2005–2014

Total

American Indian 

and Alaska Native

All other races and 

Hispanic origin

Year

Lower 

bound

Upper 

bound

Lower 

bound

Upper 

bound

Lower 

bound

Upper 

bound

1999 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2000 616,242 626,058 4,789 6,211 609,434 621,766

2005 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2006 758,858 772,782 7,123 9,677 749,919 764,881

2007 772,879 787,461 7,228 9,972 763,781 779,219

2008 777,659 793,401 7,569 10,431 768,511 784,689

2009 759,137 775,723 7,918 10,882 748,601 767,599

2010 738,087 759,373 7,879 11,921 727,530 750,070

2011 723,822 747,378 7,571 11,229 713,801 738,599

2012 729,459 759,581 7,603 10,997 719,689 750,911

2013 715,438 746,962 8,373 12,027 704,616 737,384

2013 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2014 728,172 761,028 8,585 12,215 717,730 750,670

Note: Confidence interval indicates that if different samples were drawn, values 

would fall between the lower and upper bound estimates 95 out of 100 times.

~Not applicable. Data represent a complete enumeration based on a jail census.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Annual Survey of Jails, midyear 2000 and 

midyear 2006–2014; Census of Jails, midyear 1999; Census of Jail Inmates, midyear 

2005; and Deaths in Custody Reporting Program, Annual Summary on Inmates 

Under Jail Jurisdiction, yearend 2013.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 15

Appendix Table 4

Standard errors for table 4: Characteristics of adult inmates in local jails, by race and Hispanic origin, 2011–2012

Characteristic Total American Indian and Alaska Native All other races and Hispanic origin

Sex

Male 0.74% 2.40% 0.74%

Female 0.74 2.40 0.74

Age

18–19 0.20% 0.84% 0.20%

20–24 0.30 1.82 0.30

25–29 0.28 2.08 0.28

30–34 0.26 1.86 0.26

35–39 0.20 1.82 0.20

40–44 0.19 1.49 0.19

45–54 0.34 1.52 0.34

55 or older 0.16 0.88 0.16

Most serious offense

Violent sexual 0.21% 0.83% 0.21%

Other violent 0.55 1.88 0.55

Property 0.41 2.42 0.41

Drug 0.58 1.57 0.58

DWI/DUI 0.26 2.66 0.26

Other public order offense 0.29 1.50 0.29

Other 0.42 2.09 0.42

Sentence length

Unsentenced 0.92% 2.95% 0.93%

29 days or fewer 0.17 1.73 0.17

30 days to 6 months 0.40 1.92 0.40

6 months to 1 year 0.36 1.17 0.36

1 to 5 years 0.48 1.58 0.48

5 years or more 0.46 1.30 0.46

Prior incarceration as adult or juvenile

Yes 0.41% 2.91% 0.41%

No 0.41 2.91 0.41

Time in current facility since admission

29 days or fewer 0.72% 2.54% 0.72%

30 days to 6 months 0.52 2.49 0.52

6 months to 1 year 0.40 1.42 0.40

1 year or more 0.45 1.03 0.45

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Inmate Survey, 2011–2012.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVES IN LOCAL JAILS, 1999-2014 | SEPTEMBER 2017 16

Appendix Table 5

Standard errors for table 5: Characteristics of adult American Indian and Alaska Native jail inmates, 2011–2012

Non-Hispanic Hispanic origin, 

Characteristic Total Single race Two or more races single race

Sex

Male 1.10% 2.40% 1.70% 2.17%

Female 1.10 2.40 1.70 2.17

Age

18–19 0.52% 0.84% 0.66% 1.37%

20–24 0.79 1.82 0.97 1.95

25–29 0.82 2.08 1.04 1.75

30–34 0.69 1.86 0.90 1.82

35–39 0.61 1.82 0.69 1.31

40–44 0.57 1.49 0.72 1.16

45–54 0.78 1.52 0.90 2.10

55 or older 0.43 0.88 0.51 1.33

Most serious offense

Violent sexual 0.52% 0.83% 0.70% 1.20%

Other violent 0.86 1.88 1.01 2.08

Property 1.03 2.42 1.31 1.94

Drug 0.94 1.57 1.17 1.90

DWI/DUI 0.72 2.66 0.46 1.34

Other public order offense 0.69 1.50 0.71 1.79

Other 0.94 2.09 1.08 2.57

Sentence length

Unsentenced 1.27% 2.95% 1.44% 2.89%

29 days or fewer 0.56 1.73 0.40 1.41

30 days to 6 months 0.78 1.92 0.82 1.50

6 months to 1 year 0.64 1.17 0.83 1.42

1 to 5 years 0.99 1.58 1.24 1.68

5 years or more 0.63 1.30 0.74 1.32

Prior incarceration as adult or juvenile

Yes 0.89% 2.91% 1.11% 2.34%

No 0.89 2.91 1.11 2.34

Time in current facility since admission

29 days or fewer 1.27% 2.54% 1.44% 2.01%

30 days to 6 months 1.16 2.49 1.41 2.25

6 months to 1 year 0.73 1.42 0.89 2.04

1 year or more 0.69 1.03 0.93 1.32

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Inmate Survey, 2011–2012.
Office of Justice Programs

Building Solutions • Supporting Communities • Advancing Justice

www.ojp.usdoj.gov

The Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of Justice is the principal 

federal agency responsible for measuring crime, criminal victimization, criminal 

offenders, victims of crime, correlates of crime, and the operation of criminal 

and civil justice systems at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels. BJS collects, 

analyzes, and disseminates reliable and valid statistics on crime and justice 

systems in the United States, supports improvements to state and local criminal 

justice information systems, and participates with national and international 

organizations to develop and recommend national standards for justice statistics. 

Jeri M. Mulrow is acting director.

This report was written by Todd D. Minton of BJS and Susan Brumbaugh and 

Harley Rohloff of RTI International. Zhen Zeng and Jennifer Bronson verified 

the report.

Brigitte Coulton and Jill Thomas edited the report. Tina Dorsey produced 

the report.

September 2017, NCJ 250652

NCJ250652