The House of Corrections population is less violent than the state prison population.

Property offenses figure much larger in the House of Corrections population than in the state prison population — violent offenses are still the largest group at 36%, but property offenses are close behind at 33%, whereas property offenses account for only 9% of the state prison population.

Per se drug offenses — violations of the controlled substances law — account for essentially the same proportion as at the state level — approximately 15%.

The proportions above are estimates. There is no consolidated state-wide breakdown of the House of Correction population by offense type. However, the Sentencing Commission, in its annual survey of sentencing practices does compute the number of persons sentenced to the House of Correction and the mean sentence length in months for each offense in the criminal code. This allows an estimate of steady state population by multiplying count by sentence length for each offense.

The method should be taken as yielding a roughly correct breakdown of the population by type of offense, not the actual population account. The steady state population estimate that this method produces is 7,065 which is greater than the actual current House of Correction population of 5,216. However, the method should yield a number greater than actual because (a) some inmates are paroled, and the method is based on the full sentence; (b) many sentences to the House of Corrections are served in part before trial in the jails, but the pre-trial portions of the sentences are included in the final sentence captured in the Sentencing Commission averages.

The chart below details the individual offense computations in the estimate. A couple of notes about the data:

• “Person” offenses are violent offenses.
• The offense shown is the offense at conviction carrying the longest sentence.
• Often offenders are charged with offenses carrying higher penalties and then these charges are dropped in return for a plea of guilty. So, for example, a case that started out as a school zone dealing case, might appear in these statistics as just a drug distribution charge or even a possession charge. In my court room experience, true possession cases rarely if ever result in incarceration, so most possession cases in these statistics probably started out as dealing cases.

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House of Correction Offenses by Person Years of Incarceration in Fiscal 2013

Seriousness Level	Governing Offense	# of Commitments	Mean Sentenced Months	Sentenced Person Years	Type
3	A&B	1612	6.3	851.1	Person
3	B&E	963	9.1	733.6	Property
3	Larceny More	933	7.1	548.5	Property
4	Distribute Class B	366	10.4	317.4	Drug
4	Distribute Class A	314	11.4	299.5	Drug
4	A&B Dangerous Weapon	188	17.4	272.6	Person
4	Larceny Person	273	10.6	240.3	Person
5	Intimidation	328	8.3	226.3	Person
3	Restraining Order Violation	430	5.9	210	Person
3	Assault Dangerous Weapon	262	8.7	190.8	Person
2	Firearm Possess w/o Permit	142	12.3	145	Gun
4	Control Substance School	69	24.3	140	Drug
2	Receiving Stolen Goods	253	6.2	131.6	Property
2	Possession Class B	344	3.9	110.7	Drug
4	Distribute Cocaine	55	20.8	95.4	Drug
3	Receiving Stolen Goods Over	94	12	94.1	Property
2	Resisting Arrest	308	3.6	91.2	Person
3	A&B Dangerous Weapon	240	4.4	87.2	Person
3	Larceny Building	110	9.5	87.1	Property
3	Sex Offender Fail Register	109	9.4	85.2	Sex
5	Indecent A&B On Child	54	18.6	83.9	Sex
3	Forgery And Uttering	137	7.2	82.7	Property
2	Shoplifting	348	2.8	82.5	Property
2	Larceny Less	266	3.7	81.3	Property
2	Operate to Endanger	213	4.4	78.6	MV
2	Operate After Suspension 2nd	355	2.5	74.3	MV
3	Receiving Stolen Goods MV	90	9.7	72.6	Property
3	Possess Burglarious Tools	80	9.8	65.5	Property
2	Possession Class A	221	3.5	63.7	Drug
2	Property Destruction	162	4.6	61.6	Property
4	A&B Elderly / Disabled w/Injury	62	11.8	60.9	Person
2	Distribute Class D	118	6.2	60.5	Drug
3	Leaving Scene Property Damage	144	4.9	59.1	MV
3	Mal Dest Property More	50	10.9	45.2	Property
3	Carrying Dangerous Weapon	85	6.3	44.9	Gun
3	Child Pornography Possess	42	11.8	41.3	Sex
4	Indecent A&B	30	14.6	36.6	Sex
4	Fraud - Identity	47	9.1	35.7	Property
1	Threatening	126	3.4	35.5	Person
2	Possession Class A Heroin	95	4.3	33.9	Drug
0	Attempt To Commit Crime	67	6	33.6	Other
3	Larceny MV	49	7.7	31.4	Property
2	Assault	84	4.2	29.2	Person
5	A&B Aggravated	26	12.8	27.7	Person
5	A&B DW, Aggravated	14	21.1	24.7	Person
4	Harassment	26	11.1	24	Person
6	Rape Of Child	14	20.5	23.9	Sex
3	Larceny	35	8.1	23.5	Property
3	Fraud	37	6.9	21.2	Property
2	Open And Gross	31	7.7	19.9	Sex
3	Harassment Order Violation	41	5.6	19.2	Person
2	Possess Ammunition	19	11.6	18.4	Gun
3	Leaving Scene Personal Injury	31	7.1	18.3	MV
2	Use Without Authority	53	4	17.9	Property
3	Credit Card Misuse - More	12	16.4	16.4	Property
2	Prostitution	79	2.4	16	Sex
3	Reckless Endangerment	19	9.4	14.9	MV
1	Trespassing	227	0.8	14.8	Property
1	Vandalism	44	3.9	14.4	Property
5	A&B Child w/Injury	12	14.3	14.3	Person
4	OUI Serious Inj, Fel	14	12.2	14.3	MV
6	MV Homicide - OUI Felony	7	22.3	13	MV
3	Possession Class B 2nd	17	8.8	12.5	Drug
0	Conspiracy Violate CSA	22	6.5	12	Drug
2	Possession Class C	44	3.2	11.8	Drug
4	Larceny Person + 65	9	15.7	11.8	Person
6	A&B DW, Aggravated w/Injury	7	19.6	11.5	Person
4	Escape	24	5.7	11.3	Other
1	Possession Class E	52	2.6	11.2	Drug
6	A&B Aggravated - Serious Injury	6	21.5	10.8	Person
0	Conspiracy	10	12.9	10.7	Other
1	Disorderly Conduct	72	1.8	10.6	Person
3	Distribute Class C	20	6.2	10.3	Drug
1	Operate After Suspension	382	0.3	9.7	MV
3	Ignition Interlock Violation	15	7.4	9.3	MV
2	Credit Card Misuse	22	5	9.1	Property
4	Stalking	10	10.9	9.1	Person
2	True Name Law	37	2.7	8.4	Property
3	Gun Serial Number	9	10.3	7.7	Gun
5	Entice Child	5	18.3	7.6	Sex
2	Forge Prescription	19	4.8	7.6	Property
4	A&B Guard	9	9.9	7.4	Person
3	Larceny More + 60	5	16.8	7	Property
2	Distribute Class E	16	5.2	6.9	Drug
2	Habitual Traffic Offender	31	2.6	6.8	MV
3	MV Homicide	10	7.9	6.6	MV
3	OUI Serious Inj, Misd	10	7.9	6.6	MV
7	A&B Child w/Injury Substantial	3	26	6.5	Person
7	Mayhem	4	19.5	6.5	Person
2	Failure to Appear	15	5	6.3	Other
2	Property Violation	13	5.6	6.1	Property
1	Indecent Exposure	23	2.9	5.6	Sex
2	B&E w/i Misdemeanor	23	2.9	5.5	Property
2	Counterfeit/Alter MV Document	16	4.1	5.5	MV
3	Failure to Appear Felony	3	21.7	5.4	Other
0	Accessory After	6	10.8	5.4	Other
2	Compulsory Insurance Violation	51	1.2	5.2	MV
4	Photograph Nude Person	5	12.2	5.1	Sex
4	A&B Dangerous Weapon + 60	2	30	5	Person
6	Manslaughter	2	28.4	4.7	Person
3	Defrauding Insurer	6	9.2	4.6	Property
6	Burning Dwelling House	2	27	4.5	Property
5	Common & Notorious Thief	2	27	4.5	Property
4	MV Homicide - OUI	2	27	4.5	MV
2	Presence Class A	13	4.1	4.5	Drug
6	Carjacking	2	24	4	Person
3	A&B w/I Intimidate	4	12	4	Person
3	Possession Class A 2nd	8	5.9	3.9	Drug
2	Possess Stun Gun	4	10.8	3.6	Gun
5	Perjury or Suborn	3	14	3.5	Other
4	Leaving Scene Death	2	21	3.5	MV
3	Embezzlement	2	21	3.5	Property
3	Possession Class A Heroin 2nd	5	8.4	3.5	Drug
2	Possession Class D	12	3.2	3.2	Drug
3	Cruelty To Animals	10	3.7	3.1	Other
4	Traffic Mar 50-100	2	18	3	Drug
3	Burning Motor Vehicle	4	7.9	2.6	Property
5	Stalking Violation of Rest. Order	2	15	2.5	Person
4	Attempt Arson	1	30	2.5	Property
3	Firearm Store Improper Felony	1	30	2.5	Gun
3	Possess Firearm Silencer	3	10	2.5	Gun
2	Distribute Counterfeit Substance	6	4.6	2.3	Drug
3	Counterfeit	6	4.5	2.3	Property
1	Obscene Materials	2	13.5	2.3	Sex
2	Firearm Store Improper	4	6.5	2.2	Gun
2	Failure To Return Leased Prop	10	2.6	2.1	Property
6	Kidnapping	1	24	2	Person
4	Gun Serial Number, Felony	1	24	2	Gun
3	Assault Dangerous Weapon + 60	1	24	2	Person
3	Distribute Class D 2nd	2	12	2	Drug
0	Accessory Before	2	12	2	Other
7	Carjacking, Armed	1	24	2	Person
2	False Report Of Crime	9	2.6	2	Other
1	Common Night Walker	14	1.7	2	Sex
4	Giving Prisoner Cont Sub	4	5.8	1.9	Drug
3	Nonsupport	2	11.5	1.9	Property
2	Accost / Annoy Person Opposite Sex	6	3.8	1.9	Sex
1	Annoying Phone Calls	10	2.1	1.8	Sex
4	Bomb Hoax	2	10.5	1.8	Other
3	OUI - Child Endangerment	4	5.3	1.8	MV
2	Disrupt Court Proceedings	4	5.2	1.7	Other
2	False Statement On Application	4	4.8	1.6	Other
4	Attempt Burn Building	1	19	1.6	Property
2	Impersonate/Disguise	8	2.2	1.4	Other
1	Inhaling Toxic Vapors	5	3.3	1.4	Drug
2	False Alarm	2	8.2	1.4	Other
4	Extortion	2	8.1	1.4	Property
3	Burning Property	5	3.2	1.3	Property
6	A&B Elderly / Disabled Ser Injury	1	15.5	1.3	Person
3	Interfere Police or Firefighter	4	3.8	1.3	Person
3	A&B Ambulance	2	7.5	1.3	Person
1	Possession Class D Marijuana	4	3.6	1.2	Drug
3	Kidnapping	2	6.8	1.1	Person
2	Common Night Walker 3rd	2	6.5	1.1	Sex
1	Lewd And Lacivious	5	2.4	1	Sex
4	Enter Dwelling w/I Felony	2	6	1	Property
4	Receiving Stolen Goods MV 2nd	1	12	1	Property
3	Animal Kill or Poison	2	6	1	Other
3	Inducing Minor To Sex	1	12	1	Sex
0	Attempt B&E	1	12	1	Property
2	Mistreat Police Animal	1	12	1	Other
2	Tagging Property	1	12	1	Property
2	Welfare Violation	1	12	1	Property
2	Disconnect Sprinkler System	3	3.7	0.9	Other
1	Alcohol, Procure for Minor	8	1.1	0.7	Other
3	Contempt Of Court	3	2.7	0.7	Other
2	Contributing To Delinquency	2	4	0.7	Other
1	Disturb Correctional Institution	3	2.3	0.6	Other
3	Unnatural Acts	2	3.5	0.6	Sex
3	Violation Of Civil Rights	1	6.6	0.6	Other
4	Ignition Interlock Tamper	1	6	0.5	MV
3	Larceny Firearm	1	6	0.5	Property
2	Larceny Less +60	1	6	0.5	Property
2	MV - False Report Of Theft	1	5	0.4	MV
1	Disturb Peace, 2nd Offense	5	0.9	0.4	Other
1	Obstructing Justice	1	4	0.3	Other
2	Keeping A House Of Ill Fame	1	4	0.3	Sex
1	Hiring Vehicle / Fraud	2	1.5	0.3	MV
2	Racing	1	3	0.3	MV
1	Attaching Wrong MV Plates	8	0.3	0.2	MV
3	Possession Hypodermic 2nd	1	2	0.2	Drug
2	Obscene Material to Minor	1	2	0.2	Sex
0	Attempt Larceny	2	0.9	0.2	Property
2	DNA Refuse	2	0.7	0.1	Other
2	Clean Water Act Violation	1	1	0.1	Other
4	Larceny Cont Sub	1	0.3	0	Drug
2	Defrauding Innkeeper	1	0.3	0	Property

Source: Analysis of Table 46 from Survey of Sentencing Practices, FY13. Table 46 supplied in electronic form by Sentencing Commissions. Values may not check exactly due to rounding.