Even though America is supposed to be the land of the free, the U.S. has a reputation for having high numbers of incarcerated citizens. However, you might be surprised to see the numbers differ greatly state-by-state.
Read on to learn which states have the most — and the least — number of people in prison.
Image Credit: Tim Rodenberg/Flickr & jakob.liew/Flickr.
States With the Most People in Prison
These 10 states have the most people in prison.
Image Credit: San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, California by Zboralski (CC BY-SA).
10. Illinois
The Land of Lincoln has about 53,000 people in prison. The biggest prison in Illinois is the Menard Correctional Center, located near the Illinois-Missouri border.
Image Credit: Menard Correctional Center, Illinois by artistmac (CC BY-SA).
9. New York
Rikers Island is an island prison — think of it like Manhattan, but for convicts. It currently holds about 5,800 people, many of whom are awaiting trial. Overall, the state of New York has about 59,000 people in prison.
Image Credit: Rikers Island, New York, 2012 by Tim Rodenberg (CC BY).
8. Michigan
The Great Lake State holds about 32,000 people in prison. The biggest prison in Michigan is the Ionia Correctional Facility in Ionia, which has about 600 inmates.
Image Credit: State of Michigan.
7. Arizona
Every year, countless people visit Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, the state also holds about 52,000 people in prison. The biggest prison in Arizona is the Tucson Complex, with a capacity of more than 5,400 prisoners.
Image Credit: Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry.
6. Pennsylvania
The Keystone State incarcerates about 37,000 people. It has a slightly lower incarceration rate than the national average. The biggest prison in Pennsylvania is SCI Phoenix, which holds about 3,000 people.
Image Credit: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
5. Ohio
The Buckeye State has about 45,000 prisoners, one of the highest totals in the country. The Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution, located in Lima, houses approximately 3,500 of them.
Image Credit: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
4. Georgia
As one of the biggest states in the South, Georgia has about 95,000 people in jail. The biggest prison in the Peach State is the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, which can hold about 2,000 prisoners.
Image Credit: Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison, Georgia by NeilATL (CC BY-SA).
3. Florida
Most people think of Florida as a destination getaway. But you’d probably have a different attitude if you’re one of the 157,000 Floridians serving time in prison. The Florida State Prison between Gainesville and Jacksonville has the highest number of inmates and can hold up to 1,400 individuals.
Image Credit: Florida State Prison, Florida by www.PrisonInsight.com (CC BY).
2. Texas
The biggest prison in the Lone Star State is currently H.H. Coffield Unit, which is a few hours outside of Houston. There are close to 140,000 prisoners in Texas, and the state happens to be the second-most populous state in the country.
Image Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
1. California
The biggest prison in California is also one of its most infamous: San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Since California is the most populous state in the country, it should come as no surprise that almost 200,000 people are incarcerated in the Golden State.
Image Credit: San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, California, 2009 by Staunited (CC BY-SA).
States With the Least Number of People in Prison
These 10 states have the least amount of people in prison.
Image Credit: Department of Corrections State of South Dakota.
10. Alaska
As one of the least-populated states in the union, it is not surprising that there are only about 1,800 prisoners in Alaska. Goose Creek Correctional Center, located in Seward, holds a little more than half of those individuals.
Image Credit: Google Maps.
9. Montana
Big Sky Country has some of the most beautiful vistas in the country. However, the state of Montana has about 7,700 people in prison, with Montana State Prison holding about 1,600 of them. The State Prison is located a little more than an hour from Missoula.
Image Credit: Montana Department of Corrections.
8. Hawaii
A frequent choice for honeymooners, the island of Hawaii has about 5,100 prisoners. The Halawa Correctional Facility is the biggest prison in the Aloha State and is located in Aiea, relatively close to Honolulu.
Image Credit: Google Maps.
7. South Dakota
The state best known for Mount Rushmore has about 6,500 people in prison. South Dakota actually has a higher incarceration rate compared to the average of the rest of the country. The biggest prison in South Dakota is the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
Image Credit: Department of Corrections State of South Dakota.
6. Rhode Island
As the smallest state in the U.S. by area, it’s no surprise that Rhode Island has one of the lowest prisoner counts, currently standing at 2,500 people. The biggest prison in Rhode Island is the Rhode Island Maximum Security Prison.
Image Credit: State of Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
5. Wyoming
Despite having a sizable chunk of land, Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. The state also has one of the lowest numbers of prisoners. Currently, that figure stands at about 4,400 people. The biggest prison in the Cowboy State is the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins.
Image Credit: Wyoming State Penitentiary, Wyoming by Stuart and Jen Robertson (CC BY-SA).
4. New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s state slogan is “Live Free or Die.” And that’s mostly true, since New Hampshire locks up roughly 4,000 people. The biggest prison in the Granite State is the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord.
Image Credit: State of New Hampshire.
3. North Dakota
North Dakota has about 1,700 people in prison, which is understandable given it’s one of the least populated states in the country. The biggest prison in the Rough Rider State is the North Dakota State Penitentiary in Bismarck.
Image Credit: Google Maps.
2. Maine
The state of Maine has only 3,500 people in prison, as it’s one of the least populous states in the U.S. The biggest prison in the Pine Tree State is the Maine State Prison, located in Warren.
Image Credit: Maine Department of Corrections.
1. Vermont
Best known for maple syrup and beautiful fall foliage, the state of Vermont has about 1,400 people in prison. The Northern State Correctional Facility, located in Newport, holds about 400 of those inmates.
This story was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.
Image Credit: Vermont Department of Corrections.
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