The Nation - News from Sept. 15, 1986

State and federal prisons held more inmates than ever during the first six months of the year, the Justice Department reported. The prison population grew by 25,630, or more than 5%, in that period to a record of nearly 529,000. The state of California had the biggest prison population, 55,238, and accounted for one-fifth of the increase in the first six months. North Dakota had the lowest prison population, 411. Women made up 4.8% of the total prison population.