Hey there! Did you know that recent research has shown an increase in prison populations in certain parts of the US? Let’s dive into the details.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics has been keeping tabs on prison populations in each state since 1926. A recent study conducted by H&P Law in Las Vegas examined data from 2021 to 2022, revealing a 2.08% increase in the overall US prison population, totaling approximately 25,000 more inmates.
Mississippi, Montana, and Colorado saw the most significant increases. Mississippi’s prison population shot up by 14.3%, adding 22,470 more prisoners in 2022 compared to 2021. Meanwhile, Montana’s inmate count rose by 5.91% to 4,691 and Colorado saw an 8.2% increase to 17,168 inmates.
This rise in prison populations led to the first national increase in combined state and federal prisoners since 2013, erasing a previously reported decline.
On the flip side, some states experienced a drop in their prison populations during this period. Virginia, Oregon, and California were among those showing reductions, with California reporting a 3.8% decrease, amounting to 3,833 fewer inmates in 2022. Changes in policies such as parole considerations for nonviolent offenses and shifts in penalties may have contributed to this decline. Additionally, the closure of Tracy Prison (Deuel Vocational Institution) in 2021 may have played a role.
It’s fascinating to see how various factors can influence the ebb and flow of prison populations across different states in the US.