Why Does Oklahoma Have the Highest Female Incarceration Rate in the U.S.? A Preliminary Investigation

• NCJ Number: 153863
• Journal: Journal of the Oklahoma Criminal Justice Research Consortium Volume: 1 Dated: (August 1994) Pages: 25-33
• Author(s): H S Sandhu; H Salem Al-Mosleh; B Chown
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared rates of crime reported, rates of female arrests, and rates of female incarceration in Oklahoma and compared them with corresponding national rates in order to ascertain why Oklahoma's female incarceration rate is the highest in the country, equal to 4.5 times the national rate.

Abstract

The results showed that, while crime reporting and arresting rates in the State were similar to the national average, the incarceration rate for female offenders was much higher. An analysis of computerized data on 3,636 female inmates admitted to Oklahoma correctional facilities between 1988 and 1992 showed that the State had a lower rate of violent offenders, but a higher rate of drug offenders than the national average. Black women were overrepresented in the prison population. 12 tables and 20 references