As of October 28, 2023, about 35.4 percent of federal inmates in the United States were in low security prison facilities. A further 12.1 percent of inmates were in high security facilities in that year.
Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level
Characteristic
Percentage of prisoners
Minimum
14.9%
Low
35.4%
Medium
34.2%
High
12.1%
Unclassified
3.5%
• Minimum 14.9%
• Low 35.4%
• Medium 34.2%
• High 12.1%
• Unclassified 3.5%
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* As of October 28, 2023. Unclassified inmates have not yet been assigned a security level. Detailed information regarding security levels in federal prisons can be accessed here.
Citation formats
Veera Korhonen
Research expert covering United States data for society
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US Bureau of Justice Statistics. (October 28, 2023). Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/252985/percentage-of-prisoners-under-federal-jurisdiction-in-the-us-by-security-level/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics. "Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level." Chart. October 28, 2023. Statista. Accessed April 29, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/252985/percentage-of-prisoners-under-federal-jurisdiction-in-the-us-by-security-level/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2023). Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 29, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/252985/percentage-of-prisoners-under-federal-jurisdiction-in-the-us-by-security-level/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics. "Percentage of Sentenced Prisoners under Federal Jurisdiction in The United States in 2023, by Security Level." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Oct 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/252985/percentage-of-prisoners-under-federal-jurisdiction-in-the-us-by-security-level/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics, Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/252985/percentage-of-prisoners-under-federal-jurisdiction-in-the-us-by-security-level/ (last visited April 29, 2025)
Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level [Graph], US Bureau of Justice Statistics, October 28, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/252985/percentage-of-prisoners-under-federal-jurisdiction-in-the-us-by-security-level/
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