Note: Numbers of current adult prisoners from National Prisoner Statistics
data series. Former prisoner statistics based on inmate survey data.
Estimates were rounded to the nearest 1,000. See _Methodology_ for
estimation procedures.

*The number ever incarcerated per 100,000 adult U.S. residents.

U.S. adult resident population

1974 1986 1991 1997 2001

145,356,000 175,886,630 187,982,751 199,121,734 210,207,901

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+Prevalence rates up sharply among persons under age 50+

Between 1974 and 2001, the rise in first incarceration rates had the
largest effects on younger age groups. The percent of persons ever
incarcerated tripled among persons ages 25 to 29 (from 1.0% in 1974 to
3.1% in 2001)and more than doubled among persons ages 30 to 34 (from
1.3% to 3.7%) and persons ages 35 to 39 (from 1.4% to 3.8%) (table 3).

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+Table 3. Percent of adult population ever incarcerated in a State or
Federal prison, by age, 1974-2001+

Percent of adult population ever incarcerated in a State
or Federal prison

Age 1974 1979 1986 1991 1997 2001

Total 1.3% 1.3% 1.5% 1.8% 2.3% 2.7%
18-19 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.6
20-24 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.3 1.8 1.8
25-29 1.0 1.2 1.6 2.1 2.7 3.1
30-34 1.3 1.3 1.8 2.3 3.2 3.7
35-39 1.4 1.4 1.7 2.3 3.1 3.8
40-44 1.5 1.5 1.7 2.1 2.9 3.6
45-49 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.5 3.2
50-54 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.8 2.2 2.6
55-59 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2
60-64 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.9 2.0
65 or older 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.7

Note: Percents by age were based on intercensal resident population
estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. See _Methodology_ for data
sources.

U.S. adult resident population

1974 1979 1986 1991