The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
AD
The Epoch Times
Support Us
SHARE
USPolicies & Impacts

Disappearing Hispanics: Pennsylvania Lists Just 16 Hispanic Inmates in State Prisons

Copy
Facebook
X
Truth
Gettr
LinkedIn
Telegram
Email
Save
Disappearing Hispanics: Pennsylvania Lists Just 16 Hispanic Inmates in State Prisons
A generic image implying a prison situation. pixabay.com
Beth Brelje
By Beth Brelje
4/21/2022Updated: 4/22/2022
0:00

The racial makeup of prison inmates has long been a topic of interest in discussions of policymaking and social issues. Daily records are kept of prison populations to study demographic trends. For example, black Americans are overrepresented in prison, a fact that informs many policy debates. Blacks make up just over 13 percent of the general U.S. population but the U.S. prison and jail population is 38 percent black, according to research from the Prison Policy Initiative.

According to the daily inmate data from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, the state has changed its record-keeping, resulting in far fewer inmates listed as Hispanic.

Pennsylvania’s population is 81.6 percent white, 12 percent black, and 7.8 percent Hispanic.

Arturo Guzman-Jimenez, Citizenship: Mexico Race/Ethnicity: White  Complexion: light (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Arturo Guzman-Jimenez, Citizenship: Mexico Race/Ethnicity: White  Complexion: light Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
But of the 38,623 inmates in Pennsylvania’s 23 state prisons, only 16—that is, 0.0004 percent of the prison population—are listed as Hispanic. This is far less than in 2019 when the Annual Statistical Report, authored by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Prisons, reported 9 percent of its population as Hispanic.
The U.S. Census Bureau defines “Hispanic or Latino” as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South American, or Central American origin, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. The “Hispanic or Latino” question is asked separately from the race question on the census questionnaire, so a person may identify themselves as Hispanic and white or Hispanic and black.

According to that definition, all of the inmates who are citizens of the countries or regions listed above should be classified as Hispanic.

It’s not that there are fewer Hispanics and Latinos. They are being classified differently, and it seems to be tied to their citizenship.

Alejandro Garcia-Calvin, Citizenship: Mexico Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Medium (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Alejandro Garcia-Calvin, Citizenship: Mexico Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Medium Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
The state corrections system currently has 87 inmates who are Mexican citizens. Some speak only Spanish and need interpreters. All are listed as white, the online Pennsylvania Inmate Locator shows.
Gerardo Mejia. Citizenship: Mexico. Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Medium (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Gerardo Mejia. Citizenship: Mexico. Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Medium Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

A state corrections employee confirmed to The Epoch Times that until several months ago, state records listed inmates who would fit the definition of Hispanic as Hispanic. Now all but 16 have been changed to white or black. The Epoch Times is not naming the employee because doing so could jeopardize the employee’s job.

Carlos Hernandez. Citizenship: Mexico. Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Olive (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Carlos Hernandez. Citizenship: Mexico. Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Olive Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Of the 10 Cuban citizens currently incarcerated, three are now listed as black and seven are labeled white.

The online inmate locator doesn’t list citizens of Central America by country. Instead, they are lumped together as one category. Of the 41 citizens of Central American countries, six are listed as black, 35 are listed as white, and none are listed as Hispanic.

Luis Ramos Nunez-Calderon Citizenship: Central America Race/Ethnicity: Black      Complexion: Light (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Luis Ramos Nunez-Calderon Citizenship: Central America Race/Ethnicity: Black      Complexion: Light Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

The four inmates with citizenship from India are also classified as white.

In addition to the category labeled “race/ethnicity,” the records list the inmate’s skin complexion as light, fair, medium, olive, or dark.

Joel Garcia, Citizenship: Central America. Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Medium (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Joel Garcia, Citizenship: Central America. Race/Ethnicity: White Complexion: Medium Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Of the 16 inmates across Pennsylvania who are listed as Hispanic, 15 are U.S. citizens and one is listed as “citizenship unknown.”

To be listed as Hispanic in the Pennsylvania corrections system, it appears an inmate must be a U.S. citizen, although the state did not confirm that.

Felix Alvarez. Citizenship: USA. Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic. Complexion: Dark. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Felix Alvarez. Citizenship: USA. Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic. Complexion: Dark. Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Maria Bivens, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, was asked when and why the state changed how it classifies inmate race and ethnicity, and whether an inmate must be a U.S. citizen to be classified as Hispanic, but Bivens did not respond to emailed questions from The Epoch Times.

Eric Casillas. Citizenship: USA Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic Complexion: Medium (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections)
Eric Casillas. Citizenship: USA Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic Complexion: Medium Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Luz Colon, Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive director of Latino affairs, did not respond to a request for comment.

Republican Charlie Gerow, the first Latino to run for governor of Pennsylvania, said he was not sure what to make of the racial classifications.

“I’m surprised the state corrections department is doing that. Using the Census Bureau definition of Hispanic seems to be a better way of classifying inmates,“ Gerow told The Epoch Times. ”You don’t need to walk through any of our state correctional facilities to realize that there are far more than 16 Hispanics there.”

Beth Brelje
Beth Brelje
Reporter
Beth Brelje is a former reporter with The Epoch Times. Ms. Brelje previously worked in radio for 20 years and after moving to print, worked at Pocono Record and Reading Eagle.
Author’s Selected Articles

Pennsylvania House Calls for State Probe of Trump Assassination Attempt

Jul 19, 2024
Pennsylvania House Calls for State Probe of Trump Assassination Attempt

After Injured Trump Arrived at Pennsylvania Hospital, ER Patients Prayed

Jul 16, 2024
After Injured Trump Arrived at Pennsylvania Hospital, ER Patients Prayed

Eyewitness Describes Man With Rifle Crawling Up Roof Near Trump Rally

Jul 14, 2024
Eyewitness Describes Man With Rifle Crawling Up Roof Near Trump Rally

Rally Witnesses Describe Moments as Gunman Attempts to Assassinate Trump

Jul 14, 2024
Rally Witnesses Describe Moments as Gunman Attempts to Assassinate Trump
Related Topics
prison
inmate
black
Hispanic
Save
The Epoch Times
Copyright © 2000 - 2025 The Epoch Times Association Inc. All Rights Reserved.