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How much does it cost to incarcerate an inmate?

California’s Annual Costs to
Incarcerate an Inmate in Prison

2021‑22

Type of Expenditure

Per Inmate Costs

Security

$44,918

Inmate Health Care

$33,453

Medical care

23,290

Psychiatric services

5,341

Pharmaceuticals

3,156

Dental care

1,666

Facility Operations and Records

$9,510

Facility operations (maintenance, utilities, etc.)

6,015

Classification services

2,363

Maintenance of inmate records

911

Reception, testing, assignment

193

Transportation

27

Administration

$9,508

Inmate Support

$4,723

Food

2,456

Inmate employment and canteen

1,259

Clothing

382

Religious activities

158

Inmate activities

469

Rehabilitation Programs

$3,652

Academic education

1,689

Cognitive behavioral therapy

1,422

Vocational training

541

Miscellaneous

$367

Total

$106,131

Note: Detail may not add due to rounding.

  • It costs an average of about $106,000 per year to incarcerate an inmate in prison in California.
  • About three-quarters of these costs are for security and inmate health care.
  • Since 2010-11, the average annual cost has increased by about $57,000 or about 117 percent. This includes an increase of $20,800 for security and $19,000 for inmate health care. Significant drivers of this increase in costs were employee compensation and activation of a new health care facility. In addition, the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic also contributed to higher costs in 2021-22.


Last Updated: January 2022