Prison statistics

Striking among prison statistics is the fact that the United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of imprisonment in Western Europe. In 2005 an average of 139 people in every 100,000 were in jail. Though it must be noted that this is still quite a favorable rate, as compared to for example to the United States, where prison statistics are the most shocking: 714 per 100,0001, which means that there are more people behind bars in the United States than in any other country. Presently, there are altogether 139 jails in England and Wales, 19 of which were built since 1995.

According to recent prison statistics, the total population in UK penitentiaries stood at 87,000. Home Office predicts a population of 110,000 by 2010. In 2004, each inmate cost the taxpayer an average of £38,000.

The rise in the penitentiary population has been substantially driven by harsher sentencing. In 1995, 129 people were serving sentences for shoplifting; in 2005 it was 1,400. In 2001, 3,000 people were imprisoned for petty theft for a first time offence. One third of petty offenders lose their home while in custody; two-fifths lose contact with their families; two-thirds lose their jobs. Two in five lack basic literacy skills and four in five do not have basic numeracy.

And some harsh facts about the United States: Since 1995 the nation's penitentiary and jail population has risen by more than 600,000 inmates.

At midyear 2005, nearly 4.7 percent of black males were in penitentiary or jail, compared to 1.9 percent of Hispanic males, and 0.7 percent of white males. Among males in their late 20s, nearly 12 percent of black males, compared to 3.9 percent of Hispanic males and 1.7 percent of white males, were incarcerated.