Matthew R. Durose, Patrick A. Langan, Ph.D., Bureau of Justice Statistics

December 1, 2004    NCJ 206916

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, 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 two years.

Highlights:

• Drug offenders were 32% of felons convicted in State courts in 2002.
• State courts sentenced 41% of convicted felons to a State prison, 28% to a local jail, and 31% to straight probation with no jail or prison time to serve.
• Guilty pleas accounted for 95% of felony convictions in State courts in 2002.

Part of the Felony Sentences in State Courts Series

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