MORE THAN 1 OUT OF EVERY 100 AMERICAN ADULTS IS IN PRISON

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 29, ARMENPRESS:America has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, and for the first time ever, more than one of every 100 U.S. adults is in jail or prison. The nation has about 2.3 million people incarcerated. The Pew Center of the States released the report, which says that the 50 states spent $49 billion on incarceration last year. The report calculates that one of every 99.1 adults is in prison. Kansas and Texas lead the way for slowing the growth of their prison populations, using measures such as alternative sentencing for low-risk convicts and parole or probation violators. The report said the United States incarcerates more people than any other nation, far ahead of more populous China with 1.5 million people behind bars. It said the U.S. also is the leader in inmates per capita (750 per 100,000 people), ahead of Russia (628 per 100,000) and other former Soviet bloc nations which round out the Top 10. The U.S. also is among the world leaders in capital punishment. According to Amnesty International, its 53 executions in 2006 were exceeded only by China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq and Sudan.