"• At midyear 2023, local jails held 664,200 persons in custody, similar to midyear 2022 (663,100) and marking a 9% decrease in the inmate population compared to a decade ago (731,200).
"• Between 2020 and 2023, the number of adults in local jails increased by 21%, while the population of individuals age 65 and over grew disproportionately by 78%.
"• There were 198 persons incarcerated in jail per 100,000 U.S. residents at midyear 2023, down from 231 inmates per 100,000 at midyear 2013.
"• From July 2022 to June 2023, people admitted to local jails spent an average of 32 days in custody before release, 7 days longer compared to 8 years prior (25 days).
"• The number of inmates held in local jails for federal and state prison authorities declined by 32,600 (down 26%) from 2013 to 2023.
"• The number of persons held in local jails for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement decreased by 60% from 2013 to 2023.
"• At midyear 2023, there were a total of 915,800 jail beds in the United States and 73% of the beds were occupied.
"• After a 12% increase from 2015 to 2019, the number of staff employed at local jails decreased to 211,700 by midyear 2023, falling below the 2015 level (213,000)."
Zhen Zeng, PhD. Jail Inmates In 2023 - Statistical Tables. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics. April 2025. NCJ 309965.
