Nation's Prison Population is Increasing

• One in every 32 adults imprisoned, on parole or probation

America's combined federal, state and local adult correctional population reached a new record of almost 6.9 million men and women last year, an increase of 130,700 people since December 31, 2002, according to the US Justice Department. The correctional population of 6,889,800 includes people incarcerated in prisons and jails as well as those on probation and parole. In calendar year 2003, 1,387,269 adults were incarcerated in federal and state prisons and 691,301 inmates served time in local jails. And as of December 31, 2003, 4,073,987 adults were on probation - a period of supervision in the community following a conviction - and 774,588 on parole - a period of conditional supervised release following a prison term.  About 3.2 percent of the nation's adult population, or 1 in every 32 adults, were incarcerated or on probation or parole in last year. The adult probation population grew by 49,920 men and women, slightly less than half the average annual growth of 2.9 percent since 1995. The nation's parole population grew by 23,654 men and women in 2003, or 3.1 percent, almost double the average annual growth of 1.7 percent since 1995. The disparity in new probation sentences may be attributed to the rise in mandatory sentencing statutes which dictate prison or jail sentences for certain felonies and misdemeamors. [more]