U.S. Incarceration Rate by Year

After increasing rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, the incarceration rate in the U.S. has peaked and is now falling.
Sources: 1, 2
Number of people in prisons and jails per 100,000
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+8
Level 76
Jul 17, 2018
Hurray for the war on drugs?
+6
Level 77
Jul 17, 2018
That went well. -US

Oh, how stupid you are... -rest of the world

+7
Level ∞
Jul 22, 2018
Most people in prison are not there for drugs. The huge increase in prison population during the 1980s and 1990s is a complex subject. Much of the increase is due to the fact that there were so many violent crimes during the period.

The fact that so many violent criminals were/are imprisoned is partly responsible for the subsequent decrease in violent crime.

+4
Level 73
Jul 17, 2018
Can only hope that trend of the last few years continues.
+2
Level ∞
Jul 22, 2018
It will, no doubt. Crime rates are much lower today than in the recent past and some states have scaled back draconian sentencing laws as well.