Population of State Prisons Shows Decline

For the first time since the nation’s prison boom began, the state prison population declined for a six-month period last year, the Justice Department said Sunday. Thirteen states--including Texas and New York--housed fewer prisoners on Dec. 31 than they did when the year began.

The combined population of state and federal prisons grew slightly when calculated for the entire year, but the 1.3% increase was the smallest since 1972. The numbers continue a trend underway since 1994, when the explosive prison growth rate crested. At year’s end, 2.07 million people lived behind bars in the United States.

Justice Department statistician Allen Beck said the six-month decline is the first in 28 years. He described the figures as significant evidence that the U.S. prison population has stabilized, although he said a complex variety of policies, including longer sentences and more alternatives to prison--make predicting the future hazardous.

“It is stability. We don’t see any evidence of sustained declines at this point,” said Beck, who co-authored the study with Paige Harrison.

Prison researcher Marc Mauer said he is “cautiously optimistic” that the ebb will continue.

To explain the slowing growth rate, analysts point to falling national crime rates and increased support for drug treatment and alternative punishment.