Prison Facts Citations
- There are approximately 2.2 million people in prison in the United States - the highest prison population in the world.
Institute for Criminal Policy Research - The prison population in the United States has increased 700% since 1970.
Pew Trusts - The United States represents 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s PRISON population.
The New York Times - At least 95% of inmates will eventually be released from prison.
U.S. Department of Justice: Bureau of Justice Statistics - Black men are incarcerated 6 times more often than white men.
Pew Research Center - One out of every four black males born today will end up in jail if current incarceration rates continue.
The Washington Post - The state of California houses more than 130,000 inmates across 35 prisons.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - In 2017 alone, California taxpayers will pay $11.4 BILLION dollars to oversee 129,000 inmates and 44,000 parolees.
CA State Budget: Public Safety
National Association of State Budget Officers - As of 2017, the cost to the California taxpayer is $75,560 a year for each inmate – more than the cost of tuition at Harvard for a year.
Los Angeles Times - The recidivism rate in California hovers around 65%.
California Innocence Project