Around 1.22 million people were imprisoned in the United States in 2020. This is a significant decrease from the previous year, when 1.43 million people were in prison, and is likely due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 1990 to 2020
(in 1,000s)
U.S. total includes federal prisoners not distributed by state and prison system.
For years ending December 31.
Data includes inmates held in nonsecure privately operated community corrections facilities and juveniles held in contract facilities.
Total estimate for 2018 includes imputed counts for Oklahoma and Oregon, which did not submit 2018 data to National Prisoner Statistics program. Total estimate for 2017 includes imputed counts for New Mexico and North Dakota, which did not submit 2017 data to National Prisoner Statistics program.
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US Bureau of Justice Statistics. (December 14, 2021). Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 1990 to 2020 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 25, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/203718/number-of-prisoners-in-the-us/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics. "Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 1990 to 2020 (in 1,000s)." Chart. December 14, 2021. Statista. Accessed June 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/203718/number-of-prisoners-in-the-us/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2021). Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 1990 to 2020 (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/203718/number-of-prisoners-in-the-us/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics. "Number of Prisoners under Jurisdiction of Federal or State Correctional Authorities from 1990 to 2020 (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 14 Dec 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/203718/number-of-prisoners-in-the-us/
US Bureau of Justice Statistics, Number of prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities from 1990 to 2020 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/203718/number-of-prisoners-in-the-us/ (last visited June 25, 2022)
