The Missouri Department of Corrections each year publishes an online book chronicling statistics and information with regard to inmates in counties around the state. The book – titled, “Profile of the Institutional and Supervised Offender Population” – covers from June to June, and lags behind a year. In other words, the most current information book (published in March of this year) contains data from June 2015 to June 2016.
The 149-page publication also includes some national data. In this year’s edition, Missouri was the eighth-ranked state in total incarcerations. Texas County ranked 51st out of 115 counties in incarceration rate (based on a ratio of incarcerations per 100,000 people) and 35th in felony sentencing rate.
Statewide, there were 32,831 people in prison (29,446 male and 3,385 female), with 62.9-pecent being white, 34.6-percent black, 1.8-percent Hispanic and fractions of percentages being of other races. The most common age group at the time of incarceration was 20-24, with 22.5-percent of the inmate population, while 18.5-percent were 25-29 years old, 15.3-percent 30-34 and 11.7-percent 35-39.
The top-five offenses were possession of a controlled substance, manufacturing or distribution of a controlled substance, first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and second-degree murder.
For much more information, see the offender profile book online at www.houstonherald.com.