11 Stunning Facts About America's Prisons

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