Things You May Not Know About Prisons in New Jersey

Have you ever wondered what prison is really like on the inside?  I don't know anyone would want to be an actual prisoner, but the curiosity is there.

Just take a look at the television guide sometime.  The number of shows about prisons and the people who are housed in them is numerous.

Just when you think they've covered every possible angle, a new show comes out that seems crazier than the others.

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Yet people watch these shows religiously.  The people, many of whom are actual inmates, or have been inmates, become the stars of the show.

Some of those shows include,

• Scared Straight
• Beyond Scared Straight
• Jail

• 90 Days In
• Inmates to Roommates
• Life After Lock-Up
• Lock-Up
• Girls Incarcerated: Young and Locked Up

Those are just a sample of the reality-based shows about prison.  There's also a host of shows about fictional prisons.  Those series include,

• Orange is the New Black

• The Mayor of Kingstown
• Prison Break
• Wentworth
• Oz

...and many more.

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It's a fascinating subject to so many people.  But do any of those shows reflect the reality of prison in New Jersey?

How much do you know about the prison population here in New Jersey?  You may be surprised by some of the statistics.

Prison in New Jersey, like anywhere else, is a serious culture.  It's dangerous, and not a place you want to be.

We dug into some statistics about prisons in New Jersey and uncovered some interesting numbers.

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NJ Has a Low Incarceration Rate

According to a report in World Population Review, New Jersey is ranked 28th in the country for the total number of people incarcerated.

New Jersey also has one of the lowest incarceration rates per 100k.  268 men per 100,000 population are currently serving time.  That's among the lowest in the country.

It's a Man's World

The system currently houses approximately 11,176 men and 386 women.

75% of the men and 73% of the women were convicted of violent crimes.

34% of the inmates in New Jersey prison are serving sentences of 5 years or less.

Only 8% of the prisoners in New Jersey are serving life.