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Prison Population Trends

Prison Population Trends. Who is in America’s Corrections System?. US Compared to World. In 2007, the United States had over 2.3 million people in prison. The highest of any country in the world. China came in second with 1.5 million people in prison. Correctional Supervision.

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Prison Population Trends

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  1. Prison Population Trends Who is in America’s Corrections System?

  2. US Compared to World • In 2007, the United States had over 2.3 million people in prison. The highest of any country in the world. • China came in second with 1.5 million people in prison.

  3. Correctional Supervision In 2009, over 7.2 million people were under some form of correctional supervision. Probation - court-ordered period of correctional supervision in the community generally as an alternative to incarceration. Prison - confinement in a state or federal correctional facility to serve a sentence of more than 1 year.Jail - confinement in a local jail while pending trial, awaiting sentencing, serving a sentence that is usually less than 1 year, or awaiting transfer to other facilities after conviction.Parole - period of conditional supervised release in the community following a prison term, including prisoners released to parole either by a parole board decision (discretionary parole) or according to provisions of a statute (mandatory parole).

  4. Correctional Populations

  5. Prison Populations in Decline

  6. State Prison Population Changes

  7. Why do states care about prison population? • States spend a large amount of their budget on corrections costs. • In 1987, on average states spent $19.38 billion on corrections (adjusted for inflation). • In 2007, states spent $44.06 billion. • Policy makers have to weigh public safety issues against other state priorities (like education and healthcare). Source: Pew Center on the States

  8. Prison Overcrowding • 1990-1995, there was a 23% increase in number of people of people in the corrections system. • This increase was caused by get-tough-on-crime policies (More defendants went to jail for longer prison sentences) • Increased use of mandatory sentences • Lengthening prison sentences • Less use of parole Source: Street Law

  9. Costs of Overcrowding • 1990s: Boom in constructing prisons • 1996 average construction cost per bed: $40,000 • Maintaining that bed: $15,000-$50,000 per year • Dangers: overcrowding sparks riots and fights. Source: Street Law

  10. Federal Convictions and Prison • The proportion of those convicted in Federal court who are sentenced to prison has been increasing Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  11. State Convictions & Prison Rates • More than two thirds of the felons convicted in state courts were sentenced to prison or jail Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  12. Who’s Behind Bars? • In 2008, 1 in every 100 adults in America was behind bars. • Men ages 18 or older: 1 in 54 • White men 18 or older: 1 in 106 • Hispanic men 18 or older: 1 in 36 • Black men 18 or older: 1 in 15 • Black men 20-34: 1 in 9 Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  13. What about women? • All women ages 35-39: 1 in 265 • White women ages 35-39: 1 in 355 • Hispanic women ages 35-39: 1 in 265 • Black women ages 35-39: 1 in 100 Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  14. Who is on Death Row? Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  15. Types of Offenses Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  16. Drug Arrests Drug abuse violations: offenses relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs including opium or cocaine and their derivatives, marijuana, synthetic narcotics, and dangerous non-narcotic drugs such as barbiturates. Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  17. Violent Crime Rates The serious violent crimes included are rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and homicide. Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  18. Juvenile Crime Trends The proportion of serious violent crimes committed by juveniles has generally declined since 1993. Source: Department of Justice, BJS

  19. Questions to Consider • What, if anything, should be done to reduce prison overcrowding? Should we build more prisons? Be selective about who is being incarcerated? • How should states prioritize spending? Should a state let some offenders out early to cut down on prison costs? Which offenders?

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