Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Incarceration On Families: A Summary Of The Literature, Kolina J. Delgado

Psychology Student Publications

Since the mid-1970s, the United States (U.S.) has seen a continuous rise in the rates of incarceration. Prior to the 1970s, the rate of incarceration had remained relatively steady at an average of 110 inmates per 100,000 residents for over half a century (Tonry, 2001). Between 1980 and 2000, the U.S. incarceration rates have increased by a minimum of 35,000 each year, with the average year bringing in between 55,000 and 75,000 new inmates (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003). Contrasting the U.S. rates with those of other countries clearly demonstrates that the U.S. is a major outlier among its peers …