Kentucky prison sentencing data
As of October 22, 2026, according to Kentucky Department of Corrections records, 19,731 people were held in Kentucky state prisons. Their median sentence is 5 years (the longest sentence from each person's most recent sentencing, not counting life or death sentences). 15% are serving 20 years or more, and 844 are serving life.
Race: prison population vs. state population
| Group | People | Share of prison | Share of state (U.S. Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 14,458 | 73% | 81% |
| Black | 4,395 | 22% | 7.9% |
| Hispanic | 470 | 2.4% | 4.6% |
| Other | 335 | 1.7% | – |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| Traf Cont Sub-1St Deg-1St Off-Methamphetamine (2 Or > Grams) | 935 | 7 |
| Poss Cont Sub-1St Degree-1St Offense-Methamphetamine | 914 | 2 |
| Possession Of Handgun By Convicted Felon | 672 | 5 |
| Murder | 645 | 28 |
| Wanton Endangerment-1St Degree | 526 | 5 |
| Assault, 2Nd Degree | 441 | 8 |
| Burglary, 2Nd Degree | 396 | 7 |
| Manslaughter-1St Degree | 387 | 15 |
| Burglary, 3Rd Degree | 364 | 5 |
| Robbery, 1St Degree | 345 | 12 |
| Rape, 1St Degree | 319 | 15 |
| Traf Cont Sub - 1St Deg - 1St Off-Fentanyl Sb192 | 314 | 7 |
| Promoting Contraband-1St Degree | 291 | 2 |
| Sexual Abuse, 1St Deg, Victim U/12 Years Of Age | 283 | 8 |
| Traf Cont Sub-1St Deg-1St Off-Methamphetamine (< 2 Grams) | 283 | 4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 2,184 | 10 | 23% |
| Kenton | 873 | 5 | 19% |
| Warren | 806 | 6 | 15% |
| Fayette | 727 | 8 | 26% |
| Hardin | 645 | 5 | 18% |
| Daviess | 519 | 5 | 11% |
| McCracken | 514 | 8 | 20% |
| Madison | 442 | 5 | 13% |
| Pulaski | 381 | 5 | 12% |
| Boone | 358 | 5 | 11% |
| Henderson | 352 | 5 | 9.4% |
| Christian | 346 | 5 | 21% |
| Campbell | 342 | 5 | 12% |
| Muhlenberg | 325 | 5 | 8.9% |
| Hopkins | 263 | 7 | 13% |
| Boyd | 257 | 6 | 9.3% |
| Laurel | 256 | 10 | 24% |
| Graves | 253 | 8 | 15% |
| Whitley | 241 | 7 | 20% |
| Pike | 209 | 5 | 17% |
| Nelson | 199 | 6 | 9.0% |
| Barren | 198 | 7 | 14% |
| Bullitt | 191 | 5 | 12% |
| Logan | 188 | 6 | 14% |
| Lyon | 179 | 3 | 25% |
| Franklin | 179 | 7 | 18% |
| Knox | 178 | 7 | 15% |
| Ohio | 176 | 6 | 18% |
| Bell | 173 | 5 | 14% |
| Montgomery | 171 | 7 | 11% |
| Taylor | 167 | 5 | 11% |
| Shelby | 163 | 5 | 3.1% |
| Clark | 160 | 5 | 14% |
| Greenup | 157 | 5 | 20% |
| Adair | 155 | 7 | 8.4% |
| Oldham | 147 | 5 | 19% |
| Harlan | 146 | 5 | 17% |
| Calloway | 144 | 5 | 12% |
| Casey | 131 | 5 | 4.6% |
| Rowan | 128 | 7 | 21% |
| Perry | 124 | 5 | 14% |
| Scott | 121 | 6 | 15% |
| Morgan | 121 | 5 | 6.6% |
| Harrison | 120 | 10 | 5.8% |
| McCreary | 118 | 5 | 12% |
| Lincoln | 118 | 5 | 12% |
| Simpson | 117 | 6 | 7.7% |
| Clay | 114 | 5 | 19% |
| Carter | 112 | 5 | 7.1% |
| Mason | 111 | 7 | 8.1% |
| Grant | 108 | 5 | 9.3% |
| Letcher | 106 | 5 | 10% |
| Russell | 105 | 8 | 13% |
| Allen | 103 | 5 | 11% |
| Wayne | 102 | 8 | 9.8% |
| Hart | 101 | 6 | 14% |
| Carroll | 99 | 5 | 6.1% |
| Floyd | 98 | 7 | 15% |
| Grayson | 97 | 5 | 13% |
| Butler | 95 | 5 | 14% |
| Anderson | 91 | 5 | 8.8% |
| Fulton | 90 | 6 | 8.9% |
| Marion | 88 | 7 | 19% |
| Meade | 87 | 7 | 20% |
| Marshall | 87 | 6 | 13% |
| Webster | 84 | 5 | 7.1% |
| Johnson | 82 | 8 | 17% |
| Powell | 82 | 7 | 9.8% |
| Boyle | 79 | 5 | 20% |
| Bourbon | 78 | 6.5 | 15% |
| Union | 75 | 5 | 11% |
| Breckinridge | 71 | 8 | 15% |
| Estill | 70 | 5 | 11% |
| Lee | 63 | 4 | 9.5% |
| Jessamine | 62 | 5 | 29% |
| Caldwell | 62 | 10 | 24% |
| Rockcastle | 62 | 5 | 29% |
| Henry | 62 | 8 | 24% |
| Edmonson | 61 | 5 | 15% |
| Jackson | 60 | 5 | 20% |
| Larue | 60 | 5 | 10% |
| Gallatin | 60 | 5 | 6.7% |
| Clinton | 59 | 5 | 14% |
| Monroe | 58 | 7 | 19% |
| Todd | 57 | 10 | 19% |
| Spencer | 56 | 5 | 11% |
| Pendleton | 56 | 6 | 8.9% |
| Bath | 55 | 7 | 13% |
| Knott | 54 | 5 | 15% |
| Fleming | 54 | 6 | 9.3% |
| Lawrence | 52 | 10 | 27% |
| McLean | 50 | 5 | 6.0% |
| Wolfe | 50 | 5 | 16% |
| Ballard | 50 | 5 | 12% |
| Lewis | 49 | 5 | 18% |
| Mercer | 49 | 5 | 12% |
| Breathitt | 49 | 7 | 14% |
| Cumberland | 48 | 8 | 10% |
| Elliott | 45 | 4 | 16% |
| Hancock | 41 | 6 | 20% |
| Trigg | 40 | 6.5 | 35% |
| Leslie | 39 | 5 | 31% |
| Washington | 39 | 10 | 15% |
| Owen | 39 | 5 | 13% |
| Hickman | 39 | 6.5 | 13% |
| Green | 37 | 7.5 | 14% |
| Carlisle | 37 | 5 | 14% |
| Martin | 36 | 8 | 17% |
| Magoffin | 36 | 5 | 5.6% |
| Woodford | 32 | 10 | 22% |
| Livingston | 32 | 6 | 9.4% |
| Garrard | 31 | 5 | 32% |
| Metcalfe | 30 | 5 | 10% |
| Menifee | 28 | 10 | 18% |
| Nicholas | 28 | 10 | 11% |
| Bracken | 27 | 7.5 | 37% |
| Trimble | 27 | 10 | 41% |
| Crittenden | 27 | 5 | 15% |
| Owsley | 10 | 5.5 | 20% |
| Robertson | 10 | 5 | 0% |
About this data
Source: Kentucky Department of Corrections 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.