“Since the early 1980s, there has been a historically unprecedented increase in the federal prison population,” a new report from the Congressional Research Service observes.
“The number of inmates under the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) jurisdiction has increased from approximately 25,000 in FY1980 to nearly 219,000 in FY2012. Since FY1980, the federal prison population has increased, on average, by approximately 6,100 inmates each year. Data show that a growing proportion of inmates are being incarcerated for immigration- and weapons-related offenses, but the largest portion of newly admitted inmates are being incarcerated for drug offenses.”
“Changes in federal sentencing and correctional policy since the early 1980s have contributed to the rapid growth in the federal prison population,” CRS explained. “These changes include increasing the number of federal offenses subject to mandatory minimum sentences; changes to the federal criminal code that have made more crimes federal offenses; and eliminating parole.”
A number of secondary problems are attributable to the rapid growth in incarceration, CRS said, including rising financial costs, overcrowding, and deteriorating prison infrastructure.
“Should Congress choose to consider policy options to address the issues resulting from the growth in the federal prison population, policymakers could choose options such as increasing the capacity of the federal prison system by building more prisons, investing in rehabilitative programming, or placing more inmates in private prisons.”
Alternatively, CRS said, “Policymakers might also consider whether they want to revise some of the policy changes that have been made over the past three decades that have contributed to the steadily increasing number of offenders being incarcerated. For example, Congress could consider options such as (1) modifying mandatory minimum penalties, (2) expanding the use of Residential Reentry Centers, (3) placing more offenders on probation, (4) reinstating parole for federal inmates, (5) expanding the amount of good time credit an inmate can earn, and (6) repealing federal criminal statutes for some offenses.”
A copy of the new report was obtained by Secrecy News. See The Federal Prison Population Buildup: Overview, Policy Changes, Issues, and Options, January 22, 2013.
Some other noteworthy new and updated CRS reports that Congress has not made publicly available include the following.
The Increase in Unemployment Since 2007: Is It Cyclical or Structural?, January 24, 2013
Can Contractionary Fiscal Policy Be Expansionary?, January 11, 2013
First-Term Members of the House of Representatives and Senate, 64th-113th Congresses, January 25, 2013
American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat, January 23, 2013
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests, January 24, 2013
The Endangered Species Act and “Sound Science”, January 23, 2013
More at EndtheLie.com – http://EndtheLie.com/2013/01/29/rise-in-federal-prison-population-is-unprecedented-says-crs/#ixzz2JQHpNJGO
What were they expecting with a police state and more federal offenses? A decrease?
Yet, remember, the illegal immigrants get to have driver’s licenses in Illinois, as well as food stamps, social security and free airspace in March to come across the border. No federal offenses there.
Makes perfect sense.
It’s a thriving enterprise. Anytime there’s a shortage of real criminals to incarcerate (rare, I’m sure) they just frame people to fill their quotas.
The Federal government framed me 10 years ago, and I had to do 14 months at Club Fed. They seize all your assets first without indicting you, then later bargain with you to buy back your stolen assets in exchange for the conviction. You end up as a manufactured felon, but at least you can keep a roof over your head.
WTF! I’m sorry to hear that happened to you Mike! Good Lord!!!
Happens all the time, Cathleen.
Just a fact of life in the American INjustice system.
@ Mike: hope you’re locked and loaded for some payback, once the SHTF, buddy.
Yep #1 the PTB locked me up for a lot longer than mike was locked up and I was locked up way back in the late 60`s and the mid 70`s and in between I got their F`nnnn MK Ultra treatment hardcore. Yep No Shit. Times never seem to change when it comes to those PTB LEO bastards.
Private prison company’s are all about incarcerating as many people as possible to maximize their profits. Private prison company’s lobbyist have donated millions to [mostly republican] candidates to further their agenda.
You got it, lobby = tougher stupid drug laws (marijuana) = more prisoners = more money = bull ship!
@ Mike…yeh…I did 45 months in the FED…6100 new inmates a year equals a new prison the size of FCC-Coleman each and every year…Coleman has a Woman’s Camp, A Low( 2000 inmates); a Medium (another 2000 inmates) and a High Security ( yet another 2000 inmates )…one of America’s largest prisons if not the largest by prisoner population…Oh yeh the Low commissary sold $5 million a year in goods per year…Keefe Foods is owned by the Bush Family and Prison Industries ( which pays a max of $1.00 per hour) is also owned by them… as for marijuana ( the offense that I did time for )…67 new “pot” farms have been authorized by the DEA to 50 corporations who will produce marinol ( the THC pill) …my question is: Who is gonna grow the weed?” and can I get a job there???? hahaha