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Ironically, it is the so-called land of the free that houses the highest prison population per capita in the OECD. With rates that have long been more than double that of their closest developmental counterparts, questions are continuously raised both domestically and internationally over why the prison population is so high. This is not a new state of affairs, with the prison population of the United States hovering around the 1.5 million people mark since the turn of the millennium.
The War on Drugs and incarceration
Analysts have often pointed to drug laws in the United States as a reason for the high discrepancy between the criminal justice situation of the United States and their international peers. Since the inception of “the war on drugs” by President Nixon, the United States has housed many criminals who were imprisoned for so-called low level drug offenses. Unfortunately, the war on drugs has combined with socio-economic disparities, such as poverty rates, to produce incarceration rates that are extraordinarily higher for Black men in America. Several documentaries and social-scientists have cited the effect the war on drugs has had on racial inequality in the United States, with incarceration rates being a concrete yet saddening example.
The death penalty and prisons
Depending on the nature of one’s crime, it may be better to be a prisoner in some states than others. As of 2021, 24 states and the federal government still have the death penalty, and three states have the death penalty, but a moratorium on executions. Although California had the highest number of people on death row in 2020, Texas is the undisputed capital of capital punishment. Between 1976 and 2021, 573 people were executed for their crimes in Texas.
There are of course those who benefit from the large prison population of the United States, namely those that provide services in the highly profitable prison industry. In 2020, a little over 57 billion U.S. dollars were spent on state correctional facilities in the United States. Unsurprisingly, such astronomical expenditure levels have prompted critics to voice their concern over the extent of privatization present in the American prison system. After all, it appears unlikely those running the prisoners or coordinating prisoner-related services will seek lower incarceration rates in the future, so long as their bottom line is dependent on the number of those unwillingly donning an orange jumpsuit.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jul 3, 2024
Key insights
- Adult correctional population in the U.S.
- 5.44m
Detailed statistics
Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2005-2021
- Number of prisoners in the U.S.
- 1.23m
Detailed statistics
Number of prisoners in the U.S. 1990-2022
- State corrections expenditures in the U.S.
- 60.05bn USD
Detailed statistics
State corrections expenditures in the U.S. 1982-2021
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Further recommended statistics
Overview
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- Basic Statistic Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2005-2021
- Basic Statistic Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2021, by correctional status
- Basic Statistic Inmates held in custody in the U.S. 2021, by type of correctional institution
- Basic Statistic Number of prisoners in the U.S. 1990-2022
- Basic Statistic Number of prisoners in the U.S. 2022, by state
Overview
- Basic Statistic Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2005-2021
Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2005-2021
Total number of adult correctional population in the United States from 2005 to 2021
- Basic Statistic Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2021, by correctional status
Adult correctional population in the U.S. 2021, by correctional status
Adult correctional population in the United States in 2021, by correctional status
- Basic Statistic Inmates held in custody in the U.S. 2021, by type of correctional institution
Inmates held in custody in the U.S. 2021, by type of correctional institution
Total number of inmates held in custody in state or federal prisons or in local jails in the United States in 2021, by type of institution
- Basic Statistic Number of prisoners in the U.S. 1990-2022
Number of prisoners in the U.S. 1990-2022
Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 1990 to 2022 (in 1,000s)
- Basic Statistic Number of prisoners in the U.S. 2022, by state
Number of prisoners in the U.S. 2022, by state
Number of prisoners under federal or state jurisdiction in the United States in 2022, by state
Prisoner demographics and sentencing
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- Basic Statistic Number of prisoners in the U.S. 2005-2022, by gender
- Basic Statistic Distribution of prisoners U.S. 2022, by sex and age
- Basic Statistic Imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners U.S. 2022, by sex and ethnicity
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners under state jurisdiction U.S. 2021, by offense
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction U.S. 2022, by offense
- Basic Statistic U.S. federal inmates breakdown 2023, by security level
- Basic Statistic Number of U.S. federal inmates 2023, by sentence imposed
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners admitted to jurisdiction U.S. 2000-2022
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners released from jurisdiction U.S. 2000-2022
- Premium Statistic Number of unsentenced inmates in prisons in the U.S. 2000-2022
Prisoner demographics and sentencing
- Basic Statistic Number of prisoners in the U.S. 2005-2022, by gender
Number of prisoners in the U.S. 2005-2022, by gender
Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 2005 to 2022, by gender
- Basic Statistic Distribution of prisoners U.S. 2022, by sex and age
Distribution of prisoners U.S. 2022, by sex and age
Distribution of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities in 2022, by sex and age
- Basic Statistic Imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners U.S. 2022, by sex and ethnicity
Imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners U.S. 2022, by sex and ethnicity
Imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners in the United States under federal or state jurisdiction in 2022, by sex and ethnicity (per 100,000 residents)
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners under state jurisdiction U.S. 2021, by offense
Number of sentenced prisoners under state jurisdiction U.S. 2021, by offense
Number of sentenced prisoners in the United States under state jurisdiction in 2021, by offense
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction U.S. 2022, by offense
Number of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction U.S. 2022, by offense
Number of sentenced prisoners in the United States under federal jurisdiction in 2022, by offense
- Basic Statistic U.S. federal inmates breakdown 2023, by security level
U.S. federal inmates breakdown 2023, by security level
Percentage of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by security level
- Basic Statistic Number of U.S. federal inmates 2023, by sentence imposed
Number of U.S. federal inmates 2023, by sentence imposed
Number of sentenced prisoners under federal jurisdiction in the United States in 2023, by sentence imposed
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners admitted to jurisdiction U.S. 2000-2022
Number of sentenced prisoners admitted to jurisdiction U.S. 2000-2022
Number of sentenced prisoners admitted to federal or state jurisdiction in the United States from 2000 to 2022, by type of admission
- Basic Statistic Number of sentenced prisoners released from jurisdiction U.S. 2000-2022
Number of sentenced prisoners released from jurisdiction U.S. 2000-2022
Number of sentenced prisoners released from federal or state jurisdiction in the United States from 2000 to 2022
- Premium Statistic Number of unsentenced inmates in prisons in the U.S. 2000-2022
Number of unsentenced inmates in prisons in the U.S. 2000-2022
Number of unsentenced inmates in federal and state prisons in the United States from 2000 to 2022
Correctional facilities
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- Basic Statistic Prisoners in local jail facilities in the U.S. 2000-2022
- Basic Statistic Prisoners in private facilities in the United States 2000-2019, by location
- Basic Statistic Prisoners under military jurisdiction U.S. 2022, by branch of service
- Premium Statistic State expenditures on corrections in the U.S. 1985-2019
- Premium Statistic Spending on corrections by state governments in the U.S. 2020
- Premium Statistic Number of escapees from prisons in the U.S. 2000-2019
Correctional facilities
- Basic Statistic Prisoners in local jail facilities in the U.S. 2000-2022
Prisoners in local jail facilities in the U.S. 2000-2022
Number of state and federal prisoners in local jail facilities in the United States from 2000 to 2022
- Basic Statistic Prisoners in private facilities in the United States 2000-2019, by location
Prisoners in private facilities in the United States 2000-2019, by location
Number of state and federal prisoners in private facilities in the United States from 2000 to 2019, by prison location
- Basic Statistic Prisoners under military jurisdiction U.S. 2022, by branch of service
Prisoners under military jurisdiction U.S. 2022, by branch of service
Total number of prisoners under military jurisdiction in the United States in 2022, by branch of service
- Premium Statistic State expenditures on corrections in the U.S. 1985-2019
State expenditures on corrections in the U.S. 1985-2019
Total state expenditures on corrections in the United States from 1985 to 2019 (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Spending on corrections by state governments in the U.S. 2020
Spending on corrections by state governments in the U.S. 2020
State government spending on corrections in the United States in 2020, by state (in million U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Number of escapees from prisons in the U.S. 2000-2019
Number of escapees from prisons in the U.S. 2000-2019
Number of escapees from state and federal prisons in the United States from 2000 to 2019
Probation and parole
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- Basic Statistic U.S. residents on probation 2005-2020
- Basic Statistic U.S. residents on parole 2005-2020
- Basic Statistic Number of U.S. probationers who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
- Basic Statistic Number of U.S. parolees who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Probation and parole
- Basic Statistic U.S. residents on probation 2005-2020
U.S. residents on probation 2005-2020
Number of residents on probation in the United States from 2005 to 2020 (in 1,000s)
- Basic Statistic U.S. residents on parole 2005-2020
U.S. residents on parole 2005-2020
Number of residents on parole in the United States from 2005 to 2020
- Basic Statistic Number of U.S. probationers who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Number of U.S. probationers who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Number of probationers who exited supervision in the United States in 2020, by type of exit
- Basic Statistic Number of U.S. parolees who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Number of U.S. parolees who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Number of parolees who exited supervision in the United States in 2020, by type of exit
Prisoner fatalities
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- Basic Statistic Number of state prisoner fatalities U.S. 2001-2019
- Basic Statistic Number of state and federal prisoner fatalities U.S. 2019, by cause of death
- Basic Statistic Number of local inmate deaths in jail U.S. 2000-2019
- Basic Statistic Number of local U.S. inmate fatalities in jail 2019, by cause of death
Prisoner fatalities
- Basic Statistic Number of state prisoner fatalities U.S. 2001-2019
Number of state prisoner fatalities U.S. 2001-2019
Number of state prisoner fatalities in the United States from 2001 to 2019
- Basic Statistic Number of state and federal prisoner fatalities U.S. 2019, by cause of death
Number of state and federal prisoner fatalities U.S. 2019, by cause of death
Number of state and federal prisoner fatalities in the United States in 2019, by cause of death
- Basic Statistic Number of local inmate deaths in jail U.S. 2000-2019
Number of local inmate deaths in jail U.S. 2000-2019
Number of local inmate deaths in jail in the United States from 2000 to 2019
- Basic Statistic Number of local U.S. inmate fatalities in jail 2019, by cause of death
Number of local U.S. inmate fatalities in jail 2019, by cause of death
Number of local inmate fatalities in jail in the United States in 2019, by cause of death
Death row
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- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2022
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - total number of executions 1976-2022, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of executed inmates 1976-2022
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of death row inmates 2024
Death row
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2022
U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2022
Number of death row prisoners executed in the United States from 2000 to 2022
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - total number of executions 1976-2022, by state
U.S. capital punishment - total number of executions 1976-2022, by state
Number of death row prisoners executed in the United States from 1976 to 2022, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of executed inmates 1976-2022
U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of executed inmates 1976-2022
Number of death row prisoners executed in the United States from 1976 to 2022, by race
- Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of death row inmates 2024
U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of death row inmates 2024
Number of prisoners on death row in the United States in 2024, by race
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