The United States has experienced tremendous growth in its prison population over the past several decades. This has led many to question what has caused this increase and what it means for American society. In this article, we will examine the growth of the U.S. prison population, explore the reasons behind this growth, and discuss the implications.
Facts and Figures
The Current Prison Population
As of October 2023, there are over 2.1 million people incarcerated in state and federal prisons and local jails across the United States.[1] This gives the U.S. the highest incarceration rate in the world. For comparison, the countries with the next highest incarceration rates are El Salvador, Turkmenistan, and Thailand – all under 1,000 inmates per 100,000 residents.[2]
Growth Over Time
The U.S. prison population has exploded over the past 40 years:
- In 1980, there were about 319,000 people in prison – a rate of 139 inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents.[3]
- By 2000, the population had more than quadrupled to over 1.3 million, for a rate of 478 inmates per 100,000 residents.[3]
- Since 2000, the number has continued to increase, but at a slower rate, reaching its current level of over 2.1 million.
This represents an overall increase of over 600% since 1980. The incarceration rate is now nearly 5 times higher than it was in 1980.[3]
Racial Disparities
The makeup of the U.S. prison population reflects significant racial disparities:
- African Americans represent 12% of the total U.S. population but account for 33% of the prison population.[4]
- Whites make up 64% of the population but only 30% of prisoners.[4]
- Hispanics represent 16% of the population and 23% of prisoners.[4]
The imprisonment rate for African American adults is over 5 times higher than for whites.[4] Reasons for these disparities are complex and include factors such as policing practices, sentencing policies, poverty, education gaps, and explicit and implicit racial biases at all levels of the criminal justice system.[5]
Causes of Prison Population Growth
What factors have driven the massive increase in incarceration over the past four decades? Here are some of the main causes:
War on Drugs
The “tough on crime” and “war on drugs” policies beginning in the 1970s dramatically increased penalties and enforcement efforts for drug offenses. The number of Americans incarcerated for drug offenses skyrocketed from 40,900 in 1980 to over 450,000 by 2017.[6] Harsh mandatory minimum sentencing laws have kept many drug offenders locked up for longer periods.
Stricter Sentencing Laws
In addition to drug offenses, sentencing laws have become stricter across the board since the 1980s. “Truth-in-sentencing” and “three-strikes” laws have required lengthy mandatory minimums for repeat offenders.[7] Sentences for violent crimes also grew substantially longer. Between 1990 and 2009, the average time served for violent crimes increased by 37%.[8]
Closing of Mental Hospitals
The deinstitutionalization movement of the 1960s and 1970s shuttered many mental hospitals without adequate community resources to care for released patients. As a result, some individuals with mental illness have repeatedly cycled in and out of the criminal justice system, often for minor crimes related to homelessness, untreated illness, and substance abuse.[9]
Probation and Parole Violations
Technical violations of probation and parole for noncriminal acts (like missing appointments or failed drug tests) account for a growing share of prison admissions.[10] Revocations of community supervision due to violations now account for over 1 in 4 prison admissions.[11]
Changes in Parole Grant Rates
Parole boards have become more cautious and conservative about granting parole, even for those who seem to pose little public safety risk. Between 1990 and 2010, the likelihood of being granted parole declined from around 60% to under 30% for comparable cases.[12]
Effects of Prison Growth
The unprecedented expansion of the U.S. prison system over the past 40 years has had significant effects, including:
Financial Costs
The average cost to incarcerate one federal prisoner for one year is nearly $37,000.[13] The overall costs of mass incarceration now totals over $80 billion per year for federal and state spending combined.[14] Many states now spend more on prisons than on education.
Overcrowding
As prison populations outgrew capacity, overcrowding became common. At its peak in 2006, California’s prison system was at 200% of capacity.[15] Overcrowded conditions compromise safety and services and may violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.[16]
Social Costs
Imprisonment breaks up families and communities. Over half of state and federal prisoners have minor children, and parents in prison are limited in their ability to visit, support, and raise their kids.[17] Concentrated imprisonment in certain neighborhoods also disrupts community life.
Recidivism
High rates of re-arrest after release suggest prison can reinforce criminal tendencies. A 2018 federal report found that over 80% of released prisoners were rearrested within 9 years.[18] Alternatives like probation and rehabilitative programming may be more effective for deterrence.
Decreased Employment and Earnings
A prison record impedes employment and decreases earnings over a lifetime. One estimate put the earnings penalty from incarceration at over $500 billion in 2008 alone.[19] This perpetuates socioeconomic disadvantage.
Case Examples of Prison Sentences
| Defendant | Crime | Sentence Received | Notable Quotes from Conviction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernie Madoff | Ponzi scheme fraud | $150 billion lost; 150 year sentence | “Here the message must be sent that Mr. Madoff’s crimes were extraordinarily evil.” |
| Ted Kaczynski | Unabomber domestic terrorism | Killed 3 people; life sentence | “What you did was diabolical.” |
| Lee Boyd Malvo | DC sniper attacks | Killed 10 people; 6 life sentences | “You knew right from wrong and had other options.” |
| Joaquín Guzmán | Leading violent drug cartel | Life sentence + 30 years | “The long road that brought ‘El Chapo’ Guzman to a United States courtroom is lined with drugs, death, and destruction.” |
| Dzhokhar Tsarnaev | Boston Marathon bombing | Killed 3 people; sentenced to death | “The crimes committed by you were incomprehensible.” |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has the U.S. prison population increased since 1980?
The U.S. prison population has increased by over 600% since 1980, from about 320,000 to over 2.1 million as of October 2023.
What caused the prison population to grow so rapidly?
Main causes include stricter sentencing laws, the war on drugs, closing of mental hospitals, increased parole violations, and conservative parole boards. Harsher policies have led to more incarceration and longer sentences.
How does the U.S. compare globally in prison population?
With over 2 million prisoners and the highest incarceration rate worldwide, the U.S. is far ahead of every other country. The next highest incarceration rates globally are under 1,000 prisoners per 100,000 population.
What is the racial breakdown of U.S. prisoners?
African Americans are disproportionately incarcerated, making up 33% of prisoners but only 12% of the U.S. population. Whites account for 30% of prisoners and 64% of the population. Hispanics represent 23% of prisoners and 16% of the population.
What are some of the main effects of mass incarceration?
Effects include high financial costs, prison overcrowding, disruption of families and communities, decreased employment prospects and lifetime earnings for ex-convicts, and lack of rehabilitation to reduce recidivism.
Conclusion
The remarkable growth of the U.S. prison population since 1980 results from a complex interplay of historical forces, policy choices, societal attitudes, and sentencing laws. While incarceration plays a necessary role in the criminal justice system, experts widely agree that the current scale of imprisonment is excessive, unjust, and unsustainable.
Addressing this crisis will require reforms to sentencing, investment in communities, improved conditions for rehabilitation, and confronting systemic biases. With bold changes, America can begin reducing its overreliance on prisons while still keeping communities safe.