PREPARED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS, THIS STATISTICAL REPORT PROVIDES PERTINENT INFORMATION REGARDING PENNSYLVANIA'S PRISONER POPULATION, AND IS INTENDED FOR COUNTY WARDENS AND SHERIFFS, PRESIDENT JUDGES, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND VARIOUS LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS. ALTHOUGH THIS REPORT PRIMARILY CONTAINS DATA FOR 1979, IT ALSO PROVIDES HISTORICAL COMPARISON DATA DATING FROM 1960. INTENDED SOLELY AS A DESCRIPTIVE DOCUMENT, THIS REPORT DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO INDICATE CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE PRESENTATION OF DATA. THE NARRATIVE PORTION INCLUDES A HISTORY OF THE REPORT, A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, AND EXPLANATORY NOTES ON RELEVANT TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS. A NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF THE TABULAR DATA INCLUDES EXPLANATIONS ON POPULATION TRENDS (ON THE INCREASE), RACIAL AND SEXUAL BREAKDOWN, THE LARGEST COUNTY PRISONS IN 1979, DISTRIBUTION OF MAXIMUM SENTENCES ADMINISTERED, AGE DISTRIBUTION OF SENTENCED PRISONERS, DETENTIONERS, CONDITIONAL AND UNCONDITIONAL RELEASES OF SENTENCED PRISONERS, AND PRISON POPULATION BY COUNTY. THIS REPORT INCLUDES 27 STATISTICAL TABLES. FOOTNOTES ARE APPENDED.