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Idaho has an incarceration rate of 720 (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that it locks up a higher percentage of its people than any independent democratic country on earth. Read on to learn more about who is incarcerated in Idaho and why.

15,000 people from Idaho are behind bars

Rates of imprisonment have grown dramatically in the last 40 years

Also see these Idaho graphs:

• total numbers rather than rates.
• Women’s prisons: Incarceration Rates | Total Population
• Men’s prisons: Incarceration Rates | Total Population

Additionally, the number of people impacted by county and city jails in Idaho is much larger than the graph above would suggest, because people cycle through local jails relatively quickly. Each year, at least 27,000 different people are booked into local jails in Idaho.

Today, Idaho’s incarceration rates stand out internationally

In the U.S., incarceration extends beyond prisons and local jails to include other systems of confinement. The U.S. and state incarceration rates in this graph include people held by these other parts of the justice system, so they may be slightly higher than the commonly reported incarceration rates that only include prisons and jails. Details on the data are available in States of Incarceration: The Global Context. We also have a version of this graph focusing on the incarceration of women.

People of color are overrepresented in prisons and jails

Idaho's criminal justice system is more than just its prisons and jails

See detailed data on incarceration and supervision numbers and rates by state.

Reports and briefings about Idaho's criminal legal system:

Filter to show Most recent All Big picture Collateral consequences Communication Exploitation Health Jails & bail Parole and probation Policing Poverty Prison gerrymandering Racial justice Women, gender, & families

• Idaho prisons charge people $2.00 to see a healthcare provider.
• Idaho's prison system fails to provide necessary accommodations for pregnancy behind bars, despite having a women's incarceration rate that stands out globally.
• Idaho does not make medications for opioid use disorder available in its prisons. Why is getting treatment for substance use disorders so difficult across the US carceral system?
• While other states reduced their prison populations during the pandemic, Idaho's prison population has been increasing since the pandemic started.
• People on probation in Idaho are saddled with onerous rules and conditions they must follow every day or risk incarceration.
• Prisons in Idaho have tablets, but they may be being used to restrict incarcerated people’s access to books and sap them of the little money they have.
• With an incarceration rate of 720 per 100,000 residents, Idaho locks up a higher percentage of its people than any independent democratic country on earth.
• After the Dobbs’ decision, striking down Roe v. Wade, Idaho totally banned abortion, putting access to the service effectively out of reach for the 8,632 women on probation or parole in the state who also face travel restrictions.
• Prisons in Idaho force incarcerated people and their families — some of the most vulnerable members of society — to subsidize mass incarceration.
• 48% of people in Idaho jails have not been convicted of a crime, meaning they're legally innocent. There are simple steps the state can take to reduce this number. Why isn't it?
• Idaho releases roughly 54,681 men and 19,830 women from its prisons and jails each year. What is it doing to support them upon reentry?
• Black people in Idaho are incarcerated at a rate 5.2 times higher than white people.
• Idaho's choice to criminalize "failure to appear" may be hurting public safety
• The cost of incarcerating older people is incredibly high, and their risk of reincarceration is incredibly low, yet 11% of people in Idaho prisons are over the age of 55. Why is the state keeping so many older people locked up?
• Idaho makes it difficult or even risky for incarcerated journalists to tell their stories.
• In Idaho, 15,000 people are incarcerated and another 32,700 are on probation or parole.
• Idaho charges up to 40¢ for an e-message to or from prison, among the highest rates in the nation.
• Jails in Idaho charge up to $3.15 for a 15-minute phone call, reaping profits for companies, while prisons charge $1.20 for a 15-minute call.
• How the end of Roe v. Wade will impact the 5,127 women on probation and parole in Idaho
• People in Idaho prisons must pay for hygiene items and other basics — and those without cash have to meet strict “indigence” criteria to get financial assistance
• Idaho prisons charge families up to a 37% fee to transfer money to an incarcerated loved one.
• We gave Idaho a failing grade in September 2021 for its response to the coronavirus in prisons.
• Idaho hinders jury diversity by excluding people with felony records until they complete probation and parole sentences
• How many COVID-19 cases in Idaho communities can be linked to outbreaks in correctional facilities? (data from our report Mass Incarceration, COVID-19, and Community Spread)
• We graded the parole release systems of all 50 states — Idaho gets an F
• New data: Low incomes — but high fees — for people on probation in Idaho
• Idaho incarcerates women at a rate of 209 per 100,000 residents — higher than any democratic country on earth.
• People in Idaho prisons earn as little as 10¢ an hour for their work.

Other resources

• Research on Idaho in our Research Library