Among persons admitted to state prison in 2014 across 34 states, 77% had five or more prior arrests in their criminal history, including the arrest that resulted in their prison sentence. A similar proportion (76%) of persons admitted to state prison in 29 states in 2009 had five or more prior arrests.

The 369,200 persons admitted to state prison in 34 states in 2014 had an estimated 4.2 million prior arrests in their criminal histories, including the arrest that resulted in their prison sentence. In both 2009 and 2014, persons admitted to state prison had a median of nine prior arrests in their criminal histories. About 1 in 10 persons admitted in 2014 at age 24 or younger had at least one prior arrest outside of the state where they were admitted, and about 1 in 4 persons admitted at age 40 or older had at least one such arrest.

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Arrest History of Persons Admitted to State Prison in 2009 and 2014 (NCJ 305022) was written by BJS Statistician Matthew R. Durose and former BJS Statistician Leonardo Antenangeli, PhD. The report, related documents, and additional information about BJS’s statistical publications and programs are available on the BJS website at bjs.ojp.gov.