of the world's prisoners are in the United States
The United States is home to 5% of the world’s people and 25% of the world’s
prisoners. –NAACP.org/smartandsafe
25%
Crunching the Numbers Related to Incarceration in America
children in the U.S. have an incarcerated parent
More than 2.7 million children in the U.S. have an incarcerated parent and
approximately 10 million children have experienced parental incarceration at some
point in their lives. –The Osborne Association, Factsheet
2.7
million
of DC high school students graduate
In D.C., 50% of high school students graduate, but only 15% of those students attend college
–U.S. Department of Education
50%
of adults in America are in jail or prison
The Pew Charitable Trusts
1%
increase in the number of female prisoners over a decade
Between 1995 and 2005, the number of incarcerated women in the U.S. increased by
57% –U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics
57%
incarcerated fathers
Nationally, there are more than 120,000 incarcerated mothers and 1.1 millionincarcerated fathers who are parents with minor children (ages 0-17).
–The Osborne Association, Factsheet
1.1
million
63%
of federal prisoners are parents
63 percent of federal prisoners and 55 percent of state prisoners are parents of
children under age 18.—U.S. Department of Justice
67%
of arrested parents were handcuffed in front of their children
A national study conducted in 1998 estimated that of parents arrested, 67% were
handcuffed in front of their children, 27% reported weapons drawn in front of their
children, 4.3% reported a physical struggle, and 3.2% reported the use of pepper
spray. –The Osborne Association, Factsheet
is the average stay in foster care for children with an incarcerated parent
–U.S. Department of Education
3.9
years
9X
African American children are nine times more likely to have a parent in prison than white children
There is a disparate impact on families of color. Hispanic children are also three times more
likely to have a parent in prison than white children. - U.S. Department of Justice
11.4%
of African American children have an incarcerated parent
3.5% of Hispanic children and 1.8% of white children have an incarcerated parent.
–The Osborne Association, Factsheet
Parental incarceration creates additional challenges for children and families
often resulting in financial instability and material hardship, with financial problems the most
severe for already vulnerable families and caregivers who support contact between the
incarcerated parent and his or her child.
-Parental Incarceration in Fragile Families: Summary of Three Year Findings
