Age Distribution Shows Clear Trends

Prisoners aged 30-34 hold the highest percentage among both males (16.1%) and females (19.3%) , revealing a peak in incarceration rates in this age bracket. A significant trend emerges when observing the distribution across different age groups, with percentages gradually increasing from the 18-19 age group, reaching a peak in the 30-34 age range, and then consistently decreasing with age.

Gender Differences in Incarceration Rates

While both genders show a similar pattern in the age distribution, females tend to have a slightly higher percentage in incarceration rates in the age groups from 25-29 to 40-44, compared to their male counterparts. The most notable difference appears in the 30-34 age bracket, where the percentage of females (19.3%) surpasses that of males (16.1%) by a considerable margin.

Youth and Elderly Incarceration Rates

The data indicates that the youngest (18-19) and oldest (65 or older) age brackets represent the lowest incarceration rates among both genders, with 0.4% for males and 0.2% for females in the 18-19 age group, and 4.5% for males and 2.2% for females in the 65 or older category. These figures highlight a significantly lower propensity for incarceration among the very young and the elderly.

Majority of Prisoners Are in Mid-Life

Analyzing the data across all age brackets, the majority of prisoners fall within the 25-44 age range, accounting for 58.5% of the male and 66.6% of the female prison population. This concentration of ages signifies that the prime years of adulthood are the most common for incarceration, with a marked decrease in percentages before and after this age range.

Decreasing Trend in Older Age Groups

For both genders, there is a noticeable trend of decreasing incarceration rates as age increases beyond the mid-life peak. For instance, males aged 50-54 have an incarceration rate of 8.6%, which gradually diminishes to 4.5% for those 65 or older. Similarly, females show a decrease from 7.5% in the 50-54 age group to 2.2% for 65 or older. This decreasing trend underscores a lower likelihood of incarceration with advancing age.