The unintended consequences of incarceration

Abstract

In the United States we are locking up more adults and juveniles than ever before. In 1980, state andfederal prison populations combined totaled under 400,000; one in every 453 U.S. residentswas incarcerated at the end of that year. By the end of 1993, that figure had increased to one inevery 189 U.S. residents, and in 1994, the number of inmates in state and federal prisons hadgrown to over one million people.1 In addition, on any given day in 1993, more than 93,000juveniles were living in public and private juvenile correctional facilities.