1 in 100 Americans in Prison or Jail

Sumitted by BJS on ScienceBlog, a recent report by the Pew Center, found that a higher ratio of Americans are in jail or prison this year.

Here are some excerpts/main points:

• At the start of 2008, 2,319,258 adults were held in American prisons or jails, or one in every 99.1 men and women, according to the study. During 2007, the prison population rose by more than 25,000 inmates
• 36 states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons saw their prison populations increase in 2007
• While one in 30 men between the ages of 20 and 34 is behind bars, the figure is one in nine for black males in that age group.
• Men are still roughly 13 times more likely to be incarcerated, but the female population is expanding at a far brisker pace.
• For black women in their mid- to late-30s, the incarceration rate also has hit the one-in-100 mark.
• In addition, one in every 53 adults in their 20s is behind bars; the rate for those over 55 is one in 837.
• Last year alone, states spent more than $49 billion on corrections, up from $11 billion 20 years before, a 315 percent jump

At this rate, it'll be cheaper and safer to lock up law-abiding citizens and let the inmates run free. Be sure to read the entire article.