, by
current and former prisoners, 1974-2001+

Current and former prisoners ever incarcerated in a State
or Federal prison--

1974 1979 1986 1991 1997 2001

Number incarcerated

Total 1,819,000 2,100,000 2,667,000 3,437,000 4,652,000 5,618,000
Current 216,000 302,000 524,000 788,000 1,171,000 1,319,000
Former 1,603,000 1,798,000 2,143,000 2,649,000 3,481,000 4,299,000

Ever incarcerated rate*

Total 1,251 1,308 1,516 1,828 2,336 2,673
Current 149 188 298 419 588 628
Former 1,102 1,120 1,218 1,409 1,748 2,045

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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Persons ages 35 to 44 comprised the largest age group, accounting for 3
out of 10 former prisoners at yearend 2001 (1,280,000). Former
prisoners were older than those currently in State or Federal prison,
with 49% of former prisoners age 45 or older compared to 13% of persons
confined on December 31, 2001. Current prisoners outnumbered former
prisoners only among those ages 18 to 24 (254,000 compared with
155,000).

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Number of adults with prison experience, 2001

Former Current
Age inmates inmates

Total 4,299,000 1,319,000
18-24 155,000 254,000
25-34 775,000 511,000
35-44 1,280,000 385,000
45-54 1,002,000 130,000
55-64 509,000 30,000
65 or older 578,000 9,000

Note: See _Methodology_ for estimation procedures.

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+More than two-thirds of