Data Source: Compiled by the Prison Policy Initiative from 2020 Bureau of Justice Statistics data; Shannon et al. (2017) The Growth, Scope, and Spatial Distribution of People With Felony Records in the United States, 1948–2010; SEARCH's Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2018 (estimate of criminal records created according to the methodology of NELP's 65 Million Need Not Apply); and FWD.us (2018) Every Second: The Impact of the Incarceration Crisis on America's Families. (Graph: Wendy Sawyer & Peter Wagner, 2025)
This graph originally appeared in Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025.
Far more people are impacted by mass incarceration than the 2 million currently confined. An estimated 19 million people are burdened with the collateral consequences of a felony conviction (this includes those currently and formerly incarcerated), and an estimated 79 million have a criminal record of some kind; even this is likely an underestimate, leaving out many people who have been arrested for misdemeanors. Finally, FWD.us reports that 113 million adults (45%) have had an immediate family member incarcerated for at least one night.
Events
- April 30, 2025:
On Wednesday, April 30th, at noon Eastern, Communications Strategist Wanda Bertram will take part in a panel discussion with The Center for Just Journalism on the 100th day of the second Trump administration. They’ll discuss the impacts the administration has had on criminal legal policy and issues that have flown under the radar. Register here.
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