Hispanic Incarceration Trends: Existing Data Sources Tell Two Different Tales

• In Event: Area XII. Diversity and Inclusion - Race & Ethnicity

Abstract

Imprisonment rate disparities between Hispanic and White adults have declined over time, but different data sources present significantly different figures. In 2020, state administrative data reported a Hispanic-White disparity ratio of 1.5-to-1, while federal self-reported survey data showed a much higher 2.6-to-1 ratio. This gap widened over time, indicating differences in how racial and ethnic identities are recorded.

If current trends continue, state administrative data suggest that Hispanic and White imprisonment rates could reach parity by 2026, whereas federal survey data indicate it may take another three decades. Differences in data composition further contribute to this measurement divide: state data report fewer Hispanic and multiracial individuals in prison than federal data, which capture a broader racial identity spectrum. Particularly striking are the stark imprisonment disparities among multiracial Hispanic individuals. In 2016, individuals identifying as Hispanic and Black had an incarceration rate 19 times higher than White individuals, and those identifying as Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native had a rate 29 times higher.

These findings underscore the need for improved demographic data collection, informed policymaking, and targeted criminal justice reforms. Addressing disparities—especially among multiracial Hispanic individuals—requires more accurate data, equitable sentencing policies, and efforts to combat systemic racial inequalities.

Authors

• Thaddeus Lateef Johnson, Georgia State University

• Stephanie C. Kennedy, Council on Criminal Justice