Incarceration rates in selected countries 2021
As of May 2021, the United States had the highest prisoner rate, with 639 prisoners per 100,000 of the national population. El Salvador, Turkmenistan, Thailand, and Palau rounded out the top five countries with the highest rate of incarceration.
Prisoners in the United States
The United States is not only the country with the highest incarceration rate worlwide, but it is also home to the largest number of prisoners. Roughly 2.12 million people were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2020. In China, the estimated prison population totaled to 1.71 million people that year. Other nations had far fewer prisoners.
The largest share of the U.S. prisoners in federal correctional facilities were of African-American origin. As of 2018, there were almost 409,600 black, non-Hispanic prisoners, compared to 394,800 white, non-hispanic inmates. The U.S. states with the largest number of prisoners in 2019 were Texas, California and Florida.
About 176,300 prisoners in state facilities were sentenced for drug-related offenses, such as trafficking and possession. Drug-related offenses were the most common cause of imprisonment in state prisons. Second most common were felonies, such as murder and robbery.
Prisoners in the United States
The United States is not only the country with the highest incarceration rate worlwide, but it is also home to the largest number of prisoners. Roughly 2.12 million people were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2020. In China, the estimated prison population totaled to 1.71 million people that year. Other nations had far fewer prisoners.
The largest share of the U.S. prisoners in federal correctional facilities were of African-American origin. As of 2018, there were almost 409,600 black, non-Hispanic prisoners, compared to 394,800 white, non-hispanic inmates. The U.S. states with the largest number of prisoners in 2019 were Texas, California and Florida.
About 176,300 prisoners in state facilities were sentenced for drug-related offenses, such as trafficking and possession. Drug-related offenses were the most common cause of imprisonment in state prisons. Second most common were felonies, such as murder and robbery.
