New York prison sentencing data
As of October 22, 2026, according to New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision records, 33,881 people were held in New York state prisons. Their median sentence is 7 years (the longest sentence from each person's most recent sentencing, not counting life or death sentences). 29% are serving 20 years or more, and 6,493 are serving life. New York publishes one combined minimum and maximum sentence per person; figures here use the maximum.
Race: prison population vs. state population
| Group | People | Share of prison | Share of state (U.S. Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 16,747 | 49% | 15% |
| White | 7,851 | 23% | 52% |
| Hispanic | 7,650 | 23% | 20% |
| Other | 1,015 | 3.0% | – |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| Crim Poss Weap 2Nd | 2,345 | 7 |
| Manslaughter 1St | 2,178 | 20 |
| Att Crim Poss Weap 2Nd | 1,687 | 4 |
| Crim Poss Contr Substance 3Rd | 1,568 | 5.5 |
| Att Murder 2Nd | 1,355 | 13 |
| Assault 2Nd | 999 | 5 |
| Robbery 1St | 969 | 13 |
| Assault 1St | 909 | 12 |
| Rape 1St | 825 | 18 |
| Burglary 3Rd | 810 | 5.5 |
| Att Assault 1St | 698 | 7 |
| Crim Sale Contr Substance 3Rd | 607 | 6 |
| Course Sex Conduct-Child 1St | 588 | 15 |
| Burglary 2Nd Sub 2 | 536 | 7.5 |
| Burglary 1St | 470 | 15 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,226 | 6 | 30% |
| Kings | 3,351 | 7 | 42% |
| Queens | 2,603 | 7 | 34% |
| Monroe | 2,273 | 7 | 34% |
| Bronx | 2,077 | 9 | 34% |
| Erie | 1,731 | 7 | 34% |
| Onondaga | 1,588 | 7 | 30% |
| Suffolk | 1,497 | 8 | 32% |
| Albany | 1,293 | 7 | 24% |
| Nassau | 1,105 | 7 | 35% |
| Westchester | 758 | 8 | 40% |
| Oneida | 737 | 7 | 23% |
| Orange | 708 | 7.5 | 19% |
| Niagara | 631 | 6 | 24% |
| Schenectady | 623 | 7 | 31% |
| Broome | 583 | 6 | 16% |
| Richmond | 541 | 6.5 | 28% |
| Dutchess | 526 | 7.5 | 27% |
| Saratoga | 334 | 6 | 13% |
| Rensselaer | 331 | 6 | 22% |
| Ulster | 326 | 7 | 22% |
| Clinton | 295 | 6 | 14% |
| Cayuga | 293 | 5 | 9.6% |
| Oswego | 288 | 5 | 15% |
| St. Lawrence | 279 | 6 | 14% |
| Chemung | 277 | 6.5 | 18% |
| Jefferson | 272 | 5.5 | 13% |
| Steuben | 265 | 5 | 12% |
| Ontario | 233 | 7 | 24% |
| Genesee | 232 | 6 | 15% |
| Washington | 227 | 6 | 13% |
| Sullivan | 225 | 7.5 | 25% |
| Rockland | 221 | 7 | 31% |
| Chautauqua | 214 | 5.5 | 14% |
| Warren | 209 | 5 | 18% |
| Wayne | 174 | 6.5 | 24% |
| Franklin | 156 | 6 | 13% |
| Livingston | 155 | 6 | 16% |
| Otsego | 144 | 7 | 19% |
| Cortland | 135 | 5 | 16% |
| Fulton | 133 | 6 | 13% |
| Chenango | 132 | 4 | 11% |
| Tompkins | 131 | 5 | 15% |
| Madison | 130 | 6 | 17% |
| Montgomery | 128 | 5 | 13% |
| Herkimer | 98 | 5 | 16% |
| Wyoming | 96 | 5 | 19% |
| Columbia | 88 | 8 | 28% |
| Essex | 87 | 6 | 18% |
| Cattaraugus | 87 | 6 | 28% |
| Seneca | 86 | 5 | 13% |
| Greene | 78 | 5 | 18% |
| Tioga | 73 | 6 | 29% |
| Yates | 62 | 6 | 16% |
| Orleans | 61 | 5 | 15% |
| Lewis | 56 | 7 | 14% |
| Schuyler | 49 | 6 | 18% |
| Allegany | 47 | 8 | 19% |
| Putnam | 41 | 6 | 17% |
| Delaware | 41 | 6 | 7.3% |
| Schoharie | 34 | 7 | 26% |
| Hamilton | fewer than 10 | – | – |
About this data
Source: New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision 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. New York publishes one combined minimum and maximum sentence per person; figures here use the maximum. People on parole, probation or in local jails are not included. Criminal history is not in the data. Search individual records in Justice Audit.