Felony Sentences in State Courts, 1992

This nationally representative survey of 300 counties found that in 1992 about 171,000 men and women were convicted in State felony courts of trafficking in illegal drugs, over twice as many as in 1986, accounting for 30% of the increase in felony convictions nationwide from 1986 to 1992. About 48% of the 1992 convicted traffickers were sent to a State prison versus 37% in 1986. The total number of State felony convictions increased 53% from 1986 to 1992. Urban counties with populations over 600,000 had felony convictions up 71% and drug trafficking convictions up 116%. This BJS Bulletin presents convictions for 10 other offense categories as well as the sex, race, and age of convicted felons.