Name of Report: Rhode Island Department of Corrections
Organizational Affiliation: Rhode Island Department of Corrections
Author: N/A
Contact Information: Department of Corrections. The John O. Pastore Government Center, 40 Howard Ave. Cranston, RI 92020 401-462-2611
Date: July 16, 2004
Pages: 4
Content Summary
This report includes a compilation of tables that present some of the major demographics that characterize the population of inmates that occupy the Rhode Island Department of Corrections as of December 31, 2003. All the data presented in the various tables are separated into the most prevalent racial categories. Collectively, there are a total of seven tables. While the first four tables are in relation to the sentenced population, the final three tables offer the same information for the awaiting trial population. The first table offers a breakdown of the percentages and frequency of the total population of prisoners by race. The second table displays the correlation between commitment type and race of all prisoners. The third table acknowledges the citizenship status of all prisoners within each racial category. The subsequent chart lists the race and parole eligibility for the incarcerated inmates. The next last three tables offer the same type of data, with the exception of parole eligibility, for the population of inmates awaiting trial. Moreover, the awaiting trial data does not include percentages. Overall, the data presented is in raw form and does not include any analysis of the findings.
Major Findings
While Whites account for the largest percentage of inmates in the RI prison system, Blacks account for the second largest racial group to be imprisoned in the state at a significantly disproportionate rate, accounting for almost 30 percent of the total prison population. The Hispanic population ranks third with an approximate percentage of 18 percent followed by Asians and then American Indians. Slightly higher percentages of minorities account for the awaiting trial population rather than the sentenced population. For example, Blacks account for roughly 30 percent of the awaiting trial population and Hispanics account for approximately 25 percent. A significant percentage of Blacks make up the percentage of inmates sentenced for parole and probation violations, with approximate rates of 37 and 29 percent. Of the inmates awaiting trial, a majority were new commitments or probation violators. Commitment types included those who failed to appear in court and those who failed to pay fines. Of the individuals sentenced to life without parole, Blacks account for a significant proportion composing 19 percent of the population and Hispanics account for almost 15 percent. Data also displays that of the total Hispanic population imprisoned, approximately 17 percent are ineligible for parole. In terms of citizenship status, the majority of Whites, American Indians, and Blacks are citizens. This information applies to both the sentenced inmates and those awaiting trial. Approximately 64 percent of the sentenced Hispanic population identified as citizens. For sentenced Asians, only 24 percent were confirmed as citizens’ verses approximately 33 percent who were classified as non-citizens. Moreover, each racial category did have a noteworthy percentage of people whom citizenship information was missing.
Unaddressed Issues and/or concerns
While the data presented in the raw data is quite extensive in terms of race, there is still information that is not included or detailed enough. For example, the table that displays the commitment type of inmates could still be more thorough. In addition, it would be helpful to know the racial breakdown in terms of reasons for imprisonment of the sentenced population. The included data also fails to account for gender. When observing the correlations between race and gender, one is able to obtain a more concrete understanding of how both categories overlap as well as inform each other. Overall, the data demonstrates many of the concerns that author Donna Coker addresses in her work pertaining to the injustices of the criminal justice system. Coker’s analysis is constructive because she raises the important point that it is imperative that these issues need to be broken down for the audiences that do not understand the severity of the problem.
Reference List
Coker, Donna. “Foreword: Addressing the Real World of Racial Injustices In the Criminal Justice System.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 93.4 (2003): 827-879
How to Access Report
Jennifer M. Olivelli, Associate Director
Planning & Research Unit
Rhode Island Department of Corrections
Pinel Building, 2nd floor
Cranston, RI 02920