Can We Wait 60 Years to Cut the Prison Population in Half? - SIGNIFICANT VARIATION ACROSS STATES

CAN WE WAIT 60 YEARS TO CUT THE PRISON POPULATION IN HALF? Can We Wait 60 Years to Cut the Prison Population in Half? The U. [...] Since the coronavirus relative to its peak level in 2011.2 Nine states have made pandemic began in 2020, a number of states and the significant progress in curbing mass incarceration by federal system have made additional, albeit limited, decarcerating 30% or more since reaching their peak reductions in their prison populations. [...] In Alabama plans are underway to build additional prisons rather than reduce MEANINGFUL DECARCERATION REQUIRES a still-bloated prison system, and the federal govern- REFORMS FOR EXTREME SENTENCES ment is suing the state alleging serious Constitutional The United States has made only modest progress in violations in the state’s prisons. [...] did in many other countries that did not increase im- MODEST PACE OF REFORMS prisonment levels.4 Expediting the end of mass incar- ceration will require accelerating the end of the Drug Although 46 states and the federal system have reduced War and scaling back sentences for all crimes, includ- their prison populations since reaching peak levels, the ing violent offenses for which half of people i. [...] Idaho 6.6% 2019 Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Prisoners Series Montana† 27.7% 2019 (1999-2019) 4 CAN WE WAIT 60 YEARS TO CUT THE PRISON POPULATION IN HALF? Past reforms have helped to reduce the number of A key driver of mass incarceration has been the dra- people imprisoned for a drug offense by 31% between matic growth in prison terms, including the unprece- peak year 2007 and 2018.