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Prison Incarceration Rates and the National Criminal Justice Commission Act
This post exists in the service of taking government data and showing what you can do with it.
Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the National Criminal Justice Commission Act (S. 714), a bill proposed by Sen. Jim Webb to create a commission to study and make recommendations on the reform of our nation’s criminal justice laws and practices. The bill is supported by 28 senators, none of whom hail from the three states with the highest incarceration rates.
Using data extracted from a .csv file from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (this data is not yet on Data.gov and really ought to be, even though I could download it very easily), state-by-state incarceration rates were put into a map of the United States by our designer Kerry:
The top three states in prison incarceration are California, Texas, and Florida. None of the senators from these three states currently support the National Criminal Justice Commission Act. The existence of a large prison population in a state may show that the endeavor of incarceration holds strong political heft. This is particularly the case with private prisons, which, as private enterprise, have considerable reason to get involved in the political process to preserve their profit. A look at private prisons and the location of them would help provide an even deeper understanding of political considerations for senators.Below is a list of senators and the prison population of their state and their support for the bill.
Senators, Prison Population and S. 714
Senator State Cosponsor S. 714 Prison Pop. Akaka, Daniel HI N 6,003 Alexander, Lamar TN N 26,998 Barrasso, John WY N 2,073 Baucus, Max MT N 3,592 Bayh, Evan IN N 27,380 Begich, Mark AK Y 5,223 Bennet, Michael CO N 23,130 Bennett, Robert UT N 6,459 Bingaman, Jeff NM Y 6,330 Bond, Kit MO N 30,466 Boxer, Barbara CA N 17,3320 Brown, Sherrod OH Y 51,160 Brownback, Sam KS N 8,633 Bunning, Jim KY N 21,610 Burr, Richard NC N 39,042 Burris, Roland IL Y 45,675 Byrd, Robert WV N 6,101 Cantwell, Maria WA N 17,404 Cardin, Ben MD Y 23,293 Carper, Tom DE Y 7,362 Casey, Bob PA Y 46,313 Chambliss, Saxby GA N 54,016 Coburn, Tom OK N 26,155 Cochran, Thad MS N 22,764 Collins, Susan ME N 2,246 Conrad, Kent ND N 1,450 Corker, Bob TN N 26,998 Cornyn, John TX N 173,232 Crapo, Mike ID N 7,338 DeMint, Jim SC N 25,275 Dodd, Chris CT N 21,099 Dorgan, Byron ND N 1,450 Durbin, Dick IL Y 45,675 Ensign, John NV N 12,915 Enzi, Mike WY N 2,073 Feingold, Russ WI N 23,577 Feinstein, Dianne CA N 173,320 Gillibrand, Kirsten NY Y 62,211 Graham, Lindsay SC Y 25,275 Grassley, Chuck IA N 8,778 Gregg, Judd NH N 2,827 Hagan, Kay NC Y 39,042 Harkin, Tom IA Y 8,778 Hatch, Orrin UT Y 6,459 Hutchison, Kay Bailey TX N 173,232 Inhofe, Jim OK N 26,155 Inouye, Daniel HI N 6,003 Isakson, Johnny GA N 54,016 Johanns, Mike NE N 4,419 Johnson, Tim SD N 3,358 Kaufman, Ted DE N 7,362 Kennedy, Edward MA Y 11,662 Kerry, John MA Y 11,662 Klobuchar, Amy MN N 9,964 Kohl, Herb WI N 23,577 Kyl, Jon AZ N 38,988 Landrieu, Mary LA Y 38,137 Lautenberg, Frank NJ N 26,490 Leahy, Patrick VT Y 2,082 Levin, Carl MI N 50,482 Lieberman, Joe CT N 21,099 Lincoln, Blanche AR N 14,552 Lugar, Richard IN N 27,380 Martinez, Mel FL N 100,494 McCain, John AZ N 38,988 McCaskill, Claire MO Y 30,466 McConnell, Mitch KY N 21,610 Menendez, Bob NJ N 26,490 Merkley, Jeff OR N 14,079 Mikulski, Barbara MD N 23,293 Murkowski, Lisa AK N 5,223 Murray, Patty WA Y 17,404 Nelson, Ben NE N 4,419 Nelson, Bill FL N 100,494 Pryor, Mark AR N 14,552 Reed, Jack RI N 4,190 Reid, Harry NV Y 12,915 Risch, Jim ID N 7,338 Roberts, Pat KS N 8,633 Rockefeller, John WV N 6,101 Sanders, Bernie VT N 2,082 Schumer, Chuck NY Y 62,211 Sesssions, Jeff AL N 29,871 Shaheen, Jeanne NH N 2,827 Shelby, Richard AL N 29,871 Snowe, Olympia ME Y 2,246 Specter, Arlen PA Y 46,313 Stabenow, Debbie MI N 50,482 Tester, Jon MT Y 3,592 Thune, John SD N 3,358 Udall, Mark CO Y 23,130 Udall, Tom NM N 6,330 Vitter, David LA N 38,137 Voinovich, George OH N 51,160 Warner, Mark VA Y 39,224 Webb, Jim VA Y 39,224 Whitehouse, Sheldon RI Y 4,190 Wicker, Roger MS N 22,764 Wyden, Ron OR Y 14,079 * According to the data from Bureau of Justice Statistics, The total US prison population as of June 30, 2008 was 1,610,584
Paul, you are awesome. This post is just further proof. Great, great example. A great example of the shortcoming of data.gov as well. This is important stuff.
11:39 am on Jun 12, 2009What is missing from this data is the total number – nationwide, as a percentage of our total population.
Let’s face it, as long as we allow our “representatives” to compare the data from their States with the data from others, they are prone to ignore the obvious.
7:33 am on Jun 13, 2009Great idea my interest is learning how many dead voters voted in the last presidential election.
4:15 pm on Jun 13, 2009