"The number of Americans under the control of the criminal justice system grew by 130,700 last year to reach a new high of nearly 6.9 million, according to a Justice Department report that is being released today. "
"The growth in what the report termed the "correctional population" comes at a time when the crime rate nationwide has been relatively stable for several years. The report does not address why the number of men and women in jail and prison and on probation and parole has continued to increase. But experts say the most likely reason is the cumulative effect of the tougher sentencing laws passed in the 1990s. "
Posted by bluprnt at July 25, 2004 03:59 PM