Robert Johnson Jul. 23, 2011
The U.S. has a greater percentage of its population locked up than any
other country in the world.
Despite budget cuts and tax shortfalls housing inmates costs the country almost $600 billion a year.
Despite the rising incarceration rates over the last decade, crime is actually down.
High inmate populations are blamed on mandatory sentencing and
over-zealous drug laws.
In 2009 there were 7.2 million people in prison and under official supervision like probation -- a larger population than the state of Washington
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
Between 1987 and 2007 the national prison population tripled
Source: Pew Center on the States
4 in 10 prisoners return to state prisons within three years of release
San Quentin
Source: Pew Center on the States
One in 30 men between 20 and 34 is behind bars -- and up to one in 13 in one state
Source: Pew Center on the States
One in nine black men between 20 and 34 are behind bars
Richmond Confidential
Source: Pew Center on the States
734 out of every 100,000 people are behind bars in the U.S. -- far and away the highest number in the world
Source: World Prison Brief
Russia and South Africa are our nearest competitor
Source: November Coalition
Part of the bizarre prison black market, a thimbleful of tobacco can fetch up to $50 at a maximum security prison
Folsom
Source: National Geographic
Typically parole programs cost taxpayers $7.47 per day per parolee, while prisons cost $78.95 per day per inmate nationwide.
Source:The Fiscal Times
Some prisoners cost more. It costs New Jersey $253 million every year to house just its death row prisoners -- $11 million apiece
Between 1987 and 2007 state prison costs rose by 315 percent to $44.06 billion a year
Source: Pew Center on the States
Many times it's simple mistakes that send people to the slammer
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