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Change over time

More than half of the people held in jails in Louisiana are held for federal or state agencies, primarily the state prison system. To avoid counting them twice, this population is not included in the yellow jails line. For annual counts of people in jails held for federal or state authorizes in Louisiana, see our table "Jail and prison incarcerated populations by state over time."

Also see these Louisiana graphs:

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

Racial disparities

See also our detailed graphs about Whites and Blacks in Louisiana prisons and jails.

The big picture

This graph excludes people held for state or federal authorities from the total count of people held in Louisiana jails. Because a majority (66%) of the population in Louisiana jails is held for the state prison system, this graph likely overstates the convicted population and understates the pre-trial population.

Our other articles about Louisiana

• Vera finds costs outweigh benefits in a “user-funded” criminal justice system by Wendy Sawyer, January 10, 2017
• Avoiding prison gerrymandering is often a matter of common sense: Texas and Louisiana research update, by Peter Wagner, Prisoners of the Census Blog, December 6, 2013
• Louisiana Local Governments' Struggles With Prison-Based Gerrymandering Could Be Eased By State, by Hillary Fenton, Prison Gerrymandering Blog, August 22, 2012
• How does the Louisiana incarceration rate measure up in the global context?

Other resources

• Research on Louisiana in our Research Clearinghouse