Arkansas prison sentencing data
As of October 16, 2026, according to Arkansas Division of Correction records, 20,431 people were held in Arkansas state prisons. Their median sentence is 10 years (the longest sentence from each person's most recent sentencing, not counting life or death sentences). 37% are serving 20 years or more, and 1,043 are serving life.
Race: prison population vs. state population
| Group | People | Share of prison | Share of state (U.S. Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,913 | 53% | 68% |
| Black | 8,460 | 41% | 15% |
| Hispanic | 847 | 4.1% | 8.5% |
Most common offenses
By the longest sentence from each person's most recent sentencing. Life and death sentences are not included in the median.
| Offense | People | Median sentence (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1,262 | 27 |
| Murder-1st Degree | 1,031 | 35 |
| Sexual Assault 2nd Degree | 909 | 15 |
| Aggravated Robbery | 738 | 20 |
| Murder-2nd Degree | 532 | 25 |
| Poss Cont Sub Sched l,ll Meth Cocaine < 2g | 512 | 5 |
| Battery-1st Degree | 495 | 15 |
| Possess W Purpose Del Meth Cocaine=> 10g < 200g | 471 | 15 |
| Robbery | 414 | 15 |
| Possession of firearms by certain persons (B Felony) | 367 | 5.5 |
| Poss Drug Paraphernalia Meth Cocaine | 348 | 5 |
| Dist/Poss/View Sex Explicit | 345 | 10 |
| Sex Offender Failing to Reg - Filing False Paperwork or Doc | 338 | 4 |
| Battery-2nd Degree | 322 | 5 |
| Burglary - Residential | 309 | 8 |
Sentencing by county
County where the person's longest sentence was imposed. Counties with 20+ people have their own page.
| County | People | Median sentence (years) | Serving 20+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski | 3,070 | 15 | 49% |
| Sebastian | 1,355 | 13 | 38% |
| Washington | 1,101 | 10 | 33% |
| Benton | 995 | 12 | 41% |
| Faulkner | 909 | 10 | 30% |
| Garland | 774 | 10 | 35% |
| Jefferson | 710 | 12 | 38% |
| Saline | 558 | 10 | 31% |
| Miller | 557 | 10 | 33% |
| Crawford | 524 | 10 | 31% |
| Craighead | 506 | 10 | 32% |
| Hot Spring | 435 | 10 | 31% |
| Pope | 428 | 10 | 29% |
| White | 399 | 10 | 33% |
| Union | 331 | 10 | 40% |
| Lonoke | 306 | 10 | 35% |
| Greene | 298 | 10 | 42% |
| Crittenden | 287 | 15 | 46% |
| Independence | 284 | 10 | 36% |
| Jackson | 278 | 10 | 32% |
| Drew | 270 | 10 | 34% |
| Hempstead | 270 | 14 | 41% |
| Ashley | 262 | 12 | 40% |
| Mississippi | 251 | 12 | 45% |
| Columbia | 250 | 10 | 32% |
| Arkansas | 207 | 10 | 32% |
| Lincoln | 204 | 5 | 15% |
| Clark | 200 | 10 | 36% |
| Grant | 174 | 10 | 41% |
| Phillips | 173 | 10 | 37% |
| Conway | 167 | 10 | 28% |
| Baxter | 154 | 10 | 33% |
| Poinsett | 148 | 5 | 17% |
| Boone | 148 | 12 | 44% |
| Polk | 142 | 11 | 36% |
| Sevier | 140 | 12 | 34% |
| Ouachita | 136 | 15 | 45% |
| Desha | 131 | 10 | 37% |
| Cleburne | 129 | 10 | 33% |
| St Francis | 126 | 12 | 37% |
| Johnson | 122 | 11 | 34% |
| Howard | 115 | 10 | 27% |
| Cross | 115 | 6.5 | 21% |
| Van Buren | 114 | 10 | 28% |
| Pike | 111 | 10 | 23% |
| Little River | 106 | 12 | 41% |
| Bradley | 106 | 10 | 36% |
| Yell | 104 | 10 | 39% |
| Izard | 103 | 8 | 19% |
| Franklin | 102 | 9 | 28% |
| Chicot | 101 | 10 | 34% |
| Madison | 95 | 10 | 28% |
| Logan | 94 | 12 | 44% |
| Randolph | 85 | 8 | 21% |
| Carroll | 85 | 10 | 42% |
| Nevada | 83 | 10 | 41% |
| Clay | 80 | 3.5 | 15% |
| Sharp | 72 | 10 | 38% |
| Stone | 70 | 12 | 37% |
| Dallas | 67 | 10 | 31% |
| Marion | 62 | 10 | 29% |
| Lawrence | 60 | 8 | 37% |
| Lafayette | 57 | 10 | 39% |
| Fulton | 55 | 13.5 | 38% |
| Montgomery | 54 | 10 | 31% |
| Searcy | 48 | 10 | 35% |
| Perry | 44 | 20 | 66% |
| Prairie | 40 | 6 | 25% |
| Scott | 37 | 10 | 32% |
| Cleveland | 36 | 15 | 44% |
| Lee | 34 | 12 | 50% |
| Monroe | 29 | 10 | 34% |
| Calhoun | 27 | 10 | 33% |
| Newton | 26 | 13.5 | 46% |
| Woodruff | 17 | 7 | 29% |
About this data
Source: Arkansas Division of Correction public inmate records. Counts are people currently in state prison custody, one record per person, using the longest sentence from each person's most recent sentencing. People on parole, probation or in local jails are not included. Criminal history is not in the data. Search individual records in Justice Audit.