Report: 7 million Americans in justice system

One in every 32 U.S. adults behind bars, on probation or on parole in 2005
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A record 7 million people -- or one in every 32 American adults -- were behind bars, on probation or on parole by the end of last year, according to the Justice Department. Of those, 2,193,798 were in prison or jail, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year. Even though data show more prison releases, the report said, admissions still exceed releases. More than 4.1 million people were on probation and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005......Racial disparities among prisoners persist. In the 25-29 age group, 8.1 percent -- about one in every 13 -- of black men are incarcerated, compared with 2.6 percent of Hispanic men and 1.1 percent of white men. And it is not much different among women. By the end of 2005, black women were more than twice as likely as Hispanics and over three times as white women to be in prison. See: 7 million Americans in justice system