The United States of America incarcerates more people than any other country in the
world. In fact, the U.S. hosts more prison inmates than all other developed nations combined.
As of 2010 the world population was over 6.8 billion people, with an estimated 9.8 million
in jail. This figure, compiled by the International Center for Prison Studies, refers both to
individuals held in jail awaiting trial and inmates serving time after sentencing. So
there are 9.8 million human beings on planet earth living inside of cages . . . that we
know of.
In 2010 the U.S. was home to about 309 million people, 4.5 percent of the world's total
population, but housed 23 percent of the world's prisoners. So take a moment to think about
what this means. It means we imprison more people than enormous autocratic countries
like China. We imprison more people than Russia. Compared to the size of our population, our
rate of imprisonment dwarfs our closest allies, like the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.
As of 2010, there were over 1.6 million post-trial inmates serving sentences in America's state
and federal facilities. This number does not include those being detained pretrial or those
on probation.
The most unique feature of incarceration in America is the large and active role of our
federal government. In most countries crime is reacted to at the local or regional level,
whereas the American government finances and legislates a significant portion of law enforcement
at the national level. State governments still do their fair share of incarceration though.
California and Texas incarcerate more than other states, with over 171,000 inmates each.
Florida is a close third with over 103,000 prisoners. But no single state locks up more
people than the federal government, with over 208,000 inmates.
Perhaps the nickname land of the free, home of the brave should be updated. Though I suppose
you need to be brave to endure the highest likelihood of incarceration the world has
ever known. Prisons are not what we think about when we think of America, and they shouldn't
have to be. A free nation should not imprison so many people, and a fiscally responsible
nation can't afford to. With close to $40 billion a year in state correctional spending,
the financial costs are obvious and staggering alone. But the human costs are often underappreciated:
1.6 million, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of American
families are incarcerated. It's time for people to realize that the criminal justice
system in America is desperately in need of reform.