July 31, 2003
The 2002 Statistical Presentation is published by the Illinois
Department of Corrections pursuant to Chapter 730, Illinois Compiled
Statutes, 5/5-5-4.3. This document provides insights regarding the types
of offenders sentenced to the Department. Most of the data summarize
sentencing and length of stay trends over the last ten years to identify
factors contributing to the expanding prison population.
At the end of calendar year 2002, the adult prison population was 36.2%
over rated capacity, totaling 42,693 inmates in a correctional system
designed to hold 31,351. Another 34,244 offenders were on Mandatory
Supervised Release. Despite a 3.7% decline in 2002, the prison population
has grown from 34,495 in 1993, an increase of 23.8%. Much of this prison
population growth is attributed to longer prison terms due to the enactment
of stricter laws, many written to increase the penalties for drugs and
weapons violations.
To address the historical increase in the inmate population, the Department
currently operates 26 adult correctional centers, eight Adult Transition
Centers, eight juvenile facilities, and 26 parole offices. New technologies
from surveillance networks through biometric capabilities provide for
safer and more efficient operations. The Department also continues to
develop management standards intended to hold staff more accountable
for statewide supervision of inmates within correctional facilities
and offenders released to the community.
Recently, the Department has experienced a prison population decline
attributed to increased admissions sentenced from court among the lower
classes of offenses. These offenders typically have short lengths of
stay, resulting in a faster movement of inmates through the system.
Overall, the prolonged declines in Illinois crime rates have affected
the flow of the serious violent offenders. As the effects of long-term
sentencing enhancements enacted during the late 1990s take hold, the
prison population will begin to increase again during the next several
years.
Sincerely,
Roger E. Walker Jr.
Director
