Wood County, Texas
According to the 2000 Census, Wood County, Texas has a population of 36,752 people. Of those, 32,749 (89%) are White, 2,250 (6%) are Black, and 2,102 (6%) are Latino[1]. However, 572 (or 2% of the 36,752 people) are not residents by choice but are people in prison.
Even though prisoners cannot participate in the local community, the Census Bureau nevertheless counts them as residents of the county where they are incarcerated.
A more accurate description would not include the prisoners. This would give Wood County a population of 36,180 with a demographic that is 89% White, 6% Black, and 6% Latino.
| Reported in Census 2000 |
Incarcerated population |
Actual population |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 36,752 | 572 | 36,180 |
| White | 32,749 | 390 | 32,359 |
| Black | 2,250 | 152 | 2,098 |
| Latino | 2,102 | 39 | 2,063 |
Notes:
[1]The numbers for Whites, Blacks and Latinos may not add up to the total number because we have not included racial groups other than Whites and Blacks and because the Census Bureau considers "Latino" to be an ethnicity, not a race. Most of the people reported as being Latino are also counted as being White or Black.
Recommended Reading:
About the Prison Policy Initiative
Learn more about the organization behind the Prison Gerrymandering Project.
The Racial Geography of Mass Incarceration
The transfer of Black and Latino incarcerated people to communities very different than their own is a nationwide problem.
How to get elected without being a candidate first.
Iowa Public Radio explores how Anamosa Iowa ended prison gerrymandering.
Events
- October 11-13, 2024:
Prison Policy Initiative’s Advocacy Department (Sarah Staudt and Emmett Sanders) will be at the Formerly Incarcerated, Convicted People, and Families Movement (FICPFM) conference in Detroit, Michigan from Friday, October 11th to Sunday, October 13. If you’re going to be there, contact us if you’d like to meet up and talk about how Prison Policy Initiative might be able to support your state and local activism to change the criminal legal system!
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