2.3 million Americans are behind bars, up from 500,000 in 1980: a 300% increase.

Home to less than 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. holds 25% of the world’s prisoners.

America incarcerates 754 persons per 100,000, Russia, the second leading nation, imprisons 627.

In 2008, more than 7.3 million people were under some form of correctional supervision.

1 in 11 African Americans are under correctional control, compared with 1 in 27 Latinos and 1 in 45 whites.

More than 2.7 million children had a parent behind bars, or 1 in even 28. For black children, the number was 1 in 9.

More than 2.4 million people are employed in the criminal legal system — in a wide variety of tasks beyond enforcement, including food service, health care, construction & maintenance, with significant portions outsourced to private companies.

States spend $50 billion on corrections and 5 states — Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan & Vermont — now spend more on prisons than they do on schools.

The Federal Department of Justice budget is $29.2 billion, with $6 billion given to the prison bureau.

Local governments spend more than either the states or feds at $115 billion.

By Audrie Carie for Project NIA