How many people are in prisons in Kentucky?
Updated annually
About 19,200 at the end of 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. This number is down 2.9% from 2022 and includes anyone held under state jurisdiction that has been sentenced to one or more years, usually for a felony conviction.
19.2K
prisoners (Dec. 31, 2023)
-2.9%
change in the prison population from 2022 to 2023
In 2023, the Kentucky prison population was 18.6% lower than the 2017 peak. The biggest annual changes since 2017 were a 6.4% increase in 2022 and a 19.6% decrease in 2020.
The prison population in Kentucky has decreased by 18.6% since its peak in 2017.
Prison population on Dec. 31, 2012-2023
Between 2019 and 2020, the prison population in the US declined sharply, falling 14.6% — a trend that may be visible in some states. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) attributed some of this to COVID-19, pointing to the deaths of nearly 2,500 state and federal prisoners between March 2020 and February 2021 as well as the 37,700 prisoners across 24 states who were released early from custody.
What is the incarceration rate in Kentucky and how does it compare to other states?
In Kentucky, there were 423 people per 100,000 residents serving prison sentences. That was 17.5% higher than the US rate of 360 prisoners per 100,000 residents.
In 2023, Kentucky had 423 people in prison per 100,000 residents.
Sentenced prisoners under state jurisdiction per 100K residents, 2023
Kentucky ranked #10 among states in terms of highest incarceration rates. Across the US, the rate was highest in Mississippi (652 per 100,000) and lowest in Massachusetts (96 per 100,000).
Is the incarceration rate in Kentucky increasing or decreasing?
Compared to a decade ago, incarceration rates decreased in Kentucky by 10.8%. Over the same period, rates decreased in 44 other states and increased in 5.
Over the last decade, incarceration rates in Kentucky have decreased by 11%.
Sentenced prisoners per 100K residents vs. US rate on Dec. 31, 2014–2023
Are more prisoners in Kentucky held in state-run facilities, private prisons, or local jails?
In Kentucky, state-run facilities housed 54.2% of people; private prisons, 4.3%; and local jails, 41.5%.
54.2% of prisoners in Kentucky were housed in state-run facilities.
As of Dec. 31, 2023
Among states, Montana relied the most on private prisons, which housed 48.7% of its prisoners. Louisiana held 52.7% of its prisoners in local jails, the largest share of any state.
Are prisons in Kentucky overcrowded?
Every state operates its own prisons. Forty-seven states housed the majority of prisoners in state-run facilities, and these held more than 99% of the total prison population in 15 states. These facilities are built to house a specific number of people but sometimes, the number of prisoners can exceed maximum capacity.
In 2023, eight states fit this description, but not Kentucky. Connecticut, Ohio, and Missouri did not report capacity metrics.
In 2023, the state-run prison system in Kentucky was operating at 18.8% below maximum capacity.
Prison occupancy vs. maximum capacity
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
