FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S.

CORRECTIONS

Trends in U.S. Corrections

U.S. State and Federal Prison Population, 1925-2016
2016: 1,458,173
1,600,000

1,400,000

1,200,000
Number of People

1000,000

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

2004
2000

2008
1944
1948

1964

1984
1940

1960

1968

1980

1988

1996
1956

1992
1952

1972
1936
1928
1925

2014
1932

1976

2010
2012

2016
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Prisoners Series.

International Rates of Incarceration per 100,000

United States 670
Rwanda 434
Russia 413
Brazil 325
Australia 167
Spain 126
China 118
Canada 114
France 102
Austria 94
Germany 78
Denmark 59
Sweden 57
India 33

Source: Walmsley, R. (2018). World Prison Brief. London: Institute for Criminal Policy Research. Available online: http://www.
prisonstudies.org/world-prison-brief

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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

MASS INCARCERATION State Expenditures on Corrections in Billions,

1985-2016
The United States is the world's leader in incarceration 57.7
with 2.2 million people currently in the nation's prisons 51.4
and jails — a 500% increase over the last forty years. 42.3
Changes in sentencing law and policy, not changes 36.4
in crime rates, explain most of this increase. These
26.1
trends have resulted in prison overcrowding and
fiscal burdens on states to accommodate a rapidly 16.9
expanding penal system, despite increasing evidence
6.7
that large-scale incarceration is not an effective means
of achieving public safety.
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2016
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers (1985-2017). State
Expenditure Report Series. Washington, DC: National Association of State
Budget Officers.

State & Federal Prison Population by Offense

Federal (2016) State (2015)

7.7% Violent 54.5%

47.5% Drug 15.2%

6.1% Property 18.0%

38.2% 7.7% 16.7% 13.8% Public Order 11.6%

Immigration Weapons Other

0.5% Other 0.7%

Source: Carson, E.A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Population Under Control of the U.S. Corrections System, 1980 and 2016
3,673,100
1980: 1,842,100 individuals
2016: 6,613,500 individuals

2016

1,505,400
1980 1,118,097
874,800
740,700

319,598
182,288 220,438

Prison Jail Parole Probation

Sources: Kaeble, D. and Cowhig, M. (2018). Correctional Populations in the United States, 2016. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Key Statistics:
Total Correctional Population. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Totals adjust for individuals with multiple correctional statuses to prevent
double counting.
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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

Number of People in Prisons and Jails for Drug DRUG POLICY

Offenses, 1980 and 2016
Sentencing policies of the War on Drugs era
1980: 40,900 individuals resulted in dramatic growth in incarceration for
2016: 450,345 individuals drug offenses. Since its official beginning in the
2016 1980s, the number of Americans incarcerated
for drug offenses has skyrocketed from 40,900
197,200
in 1980 to 450,345 in 2016. Furthermore, harsh
sentencing laws such as mandatory minimums
171,245 keep many people convicted of drug offenses in
prison for longer periods of time: in 1986, people
released after serving time for a federal drug
offense had spent an average of 22 months in
prison. By 2004, people convicted on federal drug
81,900
offenses were expected to serve almost three
1980 times that length: 62 months in prison.

At the federal level, people incarcerated on a drug

19,000 17,200
conviction make up just under half the prison
4,700 population. At the state level, the number of people
in prison for drug offenses has increased nine-
State Prisons Federal Prisons Jails fold since 1980, although it has begun declining
Sources: Carson, E.A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016. Washington, DC: Bureau in recent years. Most of these people are not high-
of Justice Statistics; James, D.J. (2004). Profile of Jail Inmates, 2002.
Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics; Mauer, M. and King, R. level actors in the drug trade, and most have no
(2007). A 25-Year Quagmire: The War on Drugs and its Impact on American prior criminal record for a violent offense.
Society. Washington, DC: The Sentencing Project; Minton, T.D. and Zeng, Z.
(2016). Jail Inmates in 2015. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Number of Sentenced People in Federal Prisons for Drug Offenses, 1980-2016

186,545
172,554
160,524

131,739

97,800
88,658 87,800
81,900
All offenses 74,276
Drug offenses 56,989 52,782
35,555
30,470
22,037
9,491
4,749

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2016

Sources: Prisoners Series. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

WOMEN Number of Women in State and Federal Prisons, 1980-2016

112,867 111,422
The number of women in prison 107,518
has been increasing at twice
the rate of growth for men since 93,234
1980. Women in prison often have
significant histories of physical 68,468
and sexual abuse, high rates of HIV,
and substance abuse problems.
44,065
Women’s imprisonment in female-
led households leads to children
who suffer from their mother’s 21,406
13,206
absence and breaks in family ties.

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2016

Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics Prisoners Series; Minor-Harper, S. (1986). State and
Federal Prisoners, 1925-1985. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Highest and Lowest State Incarceration Rates (per 100,000), 2016

Overall (National = 450)

State Rate
HIGHEST
Women (National = 64) Men (National = 847)
Louisiana 760
State Rate State Rate
Oklahoma 673
HIGHEST HIGHEST
Mississippi 624
Oklahoma 149 Louisiana 1,469
Arizona 585
Kentucky 130 Oklahoma 1,207
Arkansas 583
South Dakota 115 Mississippi 1,200
LOWEST
Idaho 113 Arkansas 1,095
Maine 137
Missouri 107 Alabama 1,085
Massachusetts 156
LOWEST LOWEST
Minnesota 191
Massachusetts 13 Maine 256
Rhode Island 192
Rhode Island 13 Massachusetts 308
Vermont 197
New Jersey 18 Minnesota 356
New York 22 Vermont 372
Maine 23 Utah 373

Source: Carson, E.A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

RACIAL DISPARITIES People in State and Federal Prisons, by Race and

Ethnicity, 2016
More than 60% of the people in prison today are White 30.2% 439,800
people of color. Black men are six times as likely
to be incarcerated as white men and Hispanic Black 33.4% 486,900
men are 2.7 times as likely. For black men in
their thirties, about 1 in every 12 is in prison or Hispanic 23.3% 339,300
jail on any given day.
Other 13.2% 192,173

Source: Carson, E.A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016. Washington, DC: Bureau of

Justice Statistics.

Rate of Imprisonment per 100,000, by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity, 2016

White women 49

Black women 96

Latina women 67

White men 400

Black men 2,415

Latino men 1,092

Source: Carson, E.A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Lifetime Likelihood of Imprisonment of U.S. Residents Born in 2001

All Men White Men Black Men Latino Men

1 in 9 1 in 17 1 in 3 1 in 6

All Women White Women Black Women Latina Women

1 in 56 1 in 111 1 in 18 1 in 45
Source: Bonczar, T. (2003). Prevalence of Imprisonment in the U.S. Population, 1974-2001. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

YOUTH Number of Youth Committed to Juvenile Facilities, 1999-2015

77,835 76,190
Since 1999, commitment to secure juvenile 75,406
68,982
facilities for youth who have been adjudicated 64,532
60,412
delinquent has been steadily declining from
a high point of 77,835 in 1999 to 31,487 48,423
41,934
in 2015. Still, troubling problems remain.
35,246
Youth of color enter the system much more 31,487
frequently than white youth and are more
likely to be sentenced to harsher terms of
punishment. In addition, young people are
transferred to the adult system each year
and tried as if they were adults, and many 1997 1999 2001 2003 2006 2007 2010 2011 2013 2015
are sent to adult prisons and jails to serve Source: Sickmund, M., Sladky, T.J., Kang, W., & Puzzanchera, C. (2016). Easy Access
their sentences. to the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/
ojstatbb/ezacjrp.

Rate of Youth in Residential Placement per 100,000, by Race and Ethnicity, 2015
White 86

Black 433

Hispanic 142

American Indian 261

Asian 23
Source: Sickmund, M., Sladky, T.J., Kang, W., & Puzzanchera, C. (2016). Easy Access to the Census of
Juveniles in Residential Placement. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezacjrp.

Number of Youth Held in Jails and State Prisons, 1985-2016

15,000

12,000

9,000

2016: 4,656
6,000

Youth in
adult jails
3,000

Youth in adult
prisons
2016
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015

Sources: Austin, J., Johnson, K. D., & Gregoriou, M. (2000). Juveniles in Adult Prisons and Jails: A National Assessment. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice
Assistance; Bureau of Justice Statistics Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear Series; Bureau of Justice Statistics Prisoner Series; Strom, K. J. (2000). Profile
of State Prisoners under Age 18, 1985-1997. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

Felony Disenfranchisement Restrictions by State, 2016 FELONY

DISENFRANCHISEMENT
In 48 states, a felony conviction can
result in the loss of an individual’s voting
rights. The period of disenfranchisement
varies by state, with some states
restoring the vote upon completion of
a prison term, and others effectively
disenfranchising for life. As a result of
the dramatic expansion of the criminal
justice system in the last 40 years, felony
disenfranchisement has affected the
political voice of many communities.
Today, 6.1 million Americans are
unable to vote due to state felony
disenfranchisement policies.
No restriction Prison Prison & parole

Prison, parole Prison, parole, probation

& probation & post-sentence

Source: Chung, J. (2016). Felony Disenfranchisement: A Primer. Washington,

DC: The Sentencing Project.

Rate of Disenfranchisement, by Race, 2016

Non-African American 2.47%

African American 7.44%

Source: Uggen, C., Larson, R., & Shannon, S. (2016). 6 Million Lost Voters: State-Level
Estimates of Felon Disenfranchisement, 2016. Washington, DC: The Sentencing Project.

Disenfranchised Population by Incarceration Status, 2016

In prison or jail 23%

On probation or parole 26%

Completed sentence 51%

Source: Uggen, C., Larson, R., & Shannon, S. (2016). 6 Million Lost Voters: State-Level
Estimates of Felon Disenfranchisement, 2016. Washington, DC: The Sentencing Project.

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 FACT SHEET: TRENDS IN U.S. CORRECTIONS

LIFE SENTENCES
Number of People Serving Life Sentences,
The number of people serving life sentences continues 1984-2016
to grow even while serious, violent crime has been
declining for the past 20 years and little public safety 161,957
157,966
benefit has been demonstrated to correlate with
increasingly lengthy sentences. The lifer population 142,727

has nearly quintupled since 1984. One in nine people in 127,677

132,000

prison is now serving a life sentence and nearly a third

of lifers have been sentenced to life without parole.

Number of People Serving Life Without

Parole Sentences, 1992-2016 69,845
53,290
49,081
40,174
33,633
34,000

12,453

1992 2003 2008 2012 2016 1984 1992 2003 2005 2008 2012 2016

States with the Most People Serving Life Sentences, 2016

California 39,697

Florida 13,005

New York 9,535 Life without parole

All life sentences

Georgia 8,776

Ohio 6,515

Source: Nellis, A. (2016). Still Life: America’s Increasing Use of Life and Long-Term Sentences. Washington, DC: The Sentencing Project.

This fact sheet was updated June 2018.

The Sentencing Project works for a fair and effective U.S. justice
system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing
unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for
1705 DeSales Street NW, 8th Floor alternatives to incarceration.
Washington, D.C. 20036
sentencingproject.org
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