Felony Sentences in State Courts, 2002

• NCJ Number: 206916
• Date Published: December 2004
• Length: 12 pages
• Author(s): Matthew R. Durose; Patrick A. Langan Ph.D.
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Series: BJS Bulletins
• Publication Type: Statistics

Annotation

This report presents statistics for adults who were convicted of a felony and sentenced in State courts in 2002.

Abstract

Felony Sentences in State Courts, 2002 presents statistics for adults who were convicted of a felony and sentenced in State courts. The data were collected through a nationally representative survey of 300 counties in 2002. Within the 12 offense categories reported are the number and characteristics (age, sex, and race) of offenders who were sentenced to prison, jail, or probation. Trends from 1994 to 2002 highlight the number and characteristics of adults convicted of felonies and the types and lengths of sentences imposed. This periodic report is published every 2 years. Highlights include the following: (1) drug offenders were 32 percent of felons convicted in State courts in 2002; (2) State courts sentenced 41 percent of convicted felons to a State prison, 28 percent to a local jail, and 31 percent to straight probation with no jail or prison time to serve; and (3) guilty pleas accounted for 95 percent of felony convictions in State courts in 2002. Tables