Incarceration in the United States is a primary form of punishment and rehabilitation for the commission of felony and other offenses.
As of January 2023, the United States has the second largest prison population in the world, and the sixth highest per-capita incarceration rate. One out of every 5 people imprisoned across the world is incarcerated in the United States.
In 2018, the United States had the highest incarceration rate in the world, with 698 people incarcerated per 100,000; this includes the incarceration rate for adults or people tried as adults.
Prison, parole, and probation operations generate an $81 billion annual cost to U.S. taxpayers, with an additional $63 billion for policing (criminal law only). Court costs, bail bond fees, and prison phone fees generate another $38 billion in individual costs.
Incarceration in the US