The number of adults in the correctional population has been increasing.

To view data, click on the chart.

[D]

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Correctional Surveys

(The Annual Probation Survey, National Prisoner Statistics
Program, Annual Survey of Jails, and Annual Parole Survey)
as presented in Correctional Populations in the United States, 2009,
Prisoners in 2009, Probation and Parole in the United States, 2009,
and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2009 - Statistical Tables.

In 2009, over 7.2 million people were under some form of correctional supervision including:

Probation - court-ordered period of correctional supervision in the community generally as an alternative to incarceration. In some cases probation can be a combined sentence of incarceration followed by a period of community supervision. These data include adults under the jurisdiction of probation agency, regardless of supervision status (i.e., active supervision, inactive supervision, financial conditions only, warrant status, absconder status, in a residential/other treatment program, or supervised out of jurisdiction).

Prison - confinement in a state or federal correctional facility to serve a sentence of more than 1 year, although in some jurisdictions the length of sentence which results in prison confinement is longer.

Jail - confinement in a local jail while pending trial, awaiting sentencing, serving a sentence that is usually less than 1 year, or awaiting transfer to other facilities after conviction.

Parole - period of conditional supervised release in the community following a prison term, including prisoners released to parole either by a parole board decision (discretionary parole) or according to provisions of a statute (mandatory parole). These data include adults under the jurisdiction of a parole agency, regardless of supervision status (i.e., active supervision, inactive supervision, financial conditions only, absconder status, or supervised out of state).

More information about the data.