Managing Offenders

1.   State and Local Government Expenditures for Correctional Services per Capita

Definition: This indicator represents the amount of direct, general state and local expenditures for correctional agencies per person. Correctional services include state correctional facilities and programs for adults and juveniles, local jails, and probation and parole services and programs.

Significance: An analysis of a state’s performance of managing offenders should include the dollars spent on correctional services. There is no one indicator that captures a state’s correctional philosophy or its performance. The amount of money is one indication of the resources a state has committed to these services.

Historical/Trend Analysis, State and Local Government Expenditures, per Capita, for Correctional Services

Data reflect South Carolina (SC) average, United States (US) average, and Southeast (SE)  average.  The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Source:  United States Census Bureau, State and Local Finances

Selected State Rankings, Per Capita Expenditures for Correctional Services, 2006 (“1” represents state with highest, per capita, state and local government expenditures for correctional services)

2.      Incarceration Rate

Definition:  This indicator represents the number of prisoners in state prisons per 100,000 population at the end of the calendar year. The count of total state prisoners covers only those who are in a state confinement facility and are sentenced to a year or longer. The data exclude persons who are being held for short periods in local jails. It also does not include federal incarcerations. Some states classify 16 and 17 year-olds as adult offenders. The data presented below include these individuals. South Carolina defines adult offenders as 17 and older.

Significance: The incarceration rate illustrates the demand on a state’s correctional facilities. This is affected by a state’s crime rate, arrest rate, and the judicial system’s sentencing philosophy.   

Historical/Trend Analysis, Incarceration Rate

Data reflect South Carolina (SC) average, United States (US) average, and Southeast (SE)  average.  The southeast region consists of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Source:  United States Department of Justice

To learn more about South Carolina’s average daily inmate population, visit:

South Carolina Department of Corrections

Selected State Rankings, 2006, (“1” represents state with highest incarceration rate)

3.      Average Number of Inmates per Correctional Officer

Definition:  This indicator shows the average number of inmates per correctional officer. The actual number of inmates a correctional officer must supervise may vary greatly from this average due to post assignments and number of officers working on a particular shift.

Significance:  The number of inmates a correctional officer supervises should be considered when analyzing how effective the corrections department is managing offenders. The greater the number of inmates per correctional officer may increase the opportunity for assaults and escapes. 

Historical/Trend Analysis, Average Number of Inmates per Correctional Officer[i]

Source:  United States Department of Justice

Source:  South Carolina Department of Corrections

4.      Percentage of offenders successfully completing supervision

Definition: This indicator shows the percentage of offenders who successfully completed the terms and conditions of their probation and/or parole supervision. Terms and conditions could include attaining employment, enrolling in school, paying restitution, etc.

Significance: Offenders who complete their terms of probation and/or parole supervision are more likely to become contributing members of society than those who do not successfully complete supervision. A higher percentage of offenders completing supervision also would reduce the demand on the state’s correctional system.

Historical/Trend Analysis, Percentage of Offenders Successfully Completing Supervision[ii]

Source:  United States Department of Justice

South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services    

Rev. 05.29.08 

[i] The Bureau of Justice Statistics conducts the Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities and reports national data. Only custody/security personnel data were used to calculate the national average. The Bureau of Justice Statistics did not report individual state data for this indicator. Therefore, southeastern average and rankings are not available. The last year the census was conducted was 2000. Another census will be conducted in 2005. However, the South Carolina Department of Corrections reports these data in the agency’s annual accountability report.

[ii] The national average data were calculated using data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Probation and Parole in the United States reports from 2001 to 2005. BJS does not report individual state data for probation and parole for this indicator. Therefore, southeastern average and rankings are not available.