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How much does it cost to incarcerate an inmate?
California's Annual Cost to
Incarcerate an Inmate in Prison
2016-17
|
Type of Expenditure |
Per Inmate Costs |
|
Security |
$32,019 |
|
Inmate Health Care |
$21,582 |
|
Medical care |
14,834 |
|
Psychiatric services |
3,359 |
|
Pharmaceuticals |
2,143 |
|
Dental care |
1,246 |
|
Facility Operations and Records |
$7,025 |
|
Facility operations (maintenance and utilities) |
4,334 |
|
Classification services |
1,798 |
|
Maintenance of inmate records |
723 |
|
Reception, testing, assignment |
145 |
|
Transportation |
24 |
|
Administration |
$4,171 |
|
Inmate Food and Activities |
$3,484 |
|
Food |
2,082 |
|
Inmate employment |
823 |
|
Clothing |
354 |
|
Inmate activities |
102 |
|
Religious activities |
123 |
|
Rehabilitation Programs |
$2,437 |
|
Academic education |
1,237 |
|
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
823 |
|
Vocational training |
377 |
|
Miscellaneous |
$93 |
|
Total |
$70,812 |
- It costs an average of about $71,000 per year to incarcerate an inmate in prison in California.
- Over three-quarters of these costs are for security and inmate health care.
- Since 2010-11, the average annual cost has increased by about $22,000 or about 45 percent. This includes an increase of $7,900 for security and $7,200 for inmate health care. This increase has been driven by various factors, including (1) employee compensation, (2) increased inmate health care costs, and (3) operational costs related to additional prison capacity to reduce prison overcrowding.
Last Updated: March 2017