Jefferson County, Kentucky sentencing data
As of October 22, 2026, according to Kentucky Department of Corrections records, 2,184 people sentenced in Jefferson County were held in Kentucky state prisons. Their median sentence is 10 years, longer than the statewide median of 5 years. 23% are serving 20 years or more, compared with 15% statewide. The most common offense is possession of handgun by convicted felon.
Sentences by offense: Jefferson County vs. Kentucky
Offenses with 10+ people. Median of the longest sentence from each person's most recent sentencing; life and death sentences not included.
| Offense | People | Jefferson median (yrs) | Kentucky median (yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Of Handgun By Convicted Felon | 198 | 5 | 5 |
| Murder | 141 | 27 | 28 |
| Robbery, 1St Degree | 113 | 12 | 12 |
| Manslaughter-1St Degree | 104 | 15 | 15 |
| Robbery, 2Nd Degree | 72 | 10 | 10 |
| Complicity Robbery, 1St Degree | 68 | 11.5 | 12 |
| Assault, 2Nd Degree | 62 | 8 | 8 |
| Rape, 1St Degree | 56 | 15 | 15 |
| Assault, 1St Degree | 52 | 12 | 13 |
| Possession Of Firearm By Convicted Felon | 49 | 5 | 5 |
| Escape-2Nd Degree-Identify Facility | 48 | 2 | 3 |
| Burglary, 2Nd Degree | 43 | 6 | 7 |
Race
| Group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 1,333 | 61% |
| White | 738 | 34% |
| Hispanic | 76 | 3.5% |
| Other | 28 | 1.3% |
Groups with fewer than 10 people are not shown.
Other Kentucky counties
About this data
Source: Kentucky Department of Corrections public inmate records. People currently in state prison custody whose longest sentence was imposed in Jefferson County, one record per person, using the longest sentence from their most recent sentencing. Criminal history is not in the data, so differences between counties can reflect prior records as well as sentencing practice.