The time plot in Figure 2-18 gives the number of state and federal prisoners per 100,000 population (Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 120th edition).
(a) Estimate the number of prisoners per 100,000 people for 1980 and for 1997.
(b) Interpretation During the time period shown, there was increased prosecution of drug offenses, longer sentences for common crimes, and reduced access to parole. What does the time-series graph say about the prison population change per 100,000 people?
(c) In 1997, the U.S. population was approximately 266,574,000 people. At the rate of 444 prisoners per 100,000 population, about how many prisoners were in the system? The projected U.S. population for the year 2020 is 323,724,000. If the rate of prisoners per 100,000 stays the same as in 1997, about how many prisoners do you expect will be in the system in 2020? To obtain the most recent information, visit the Brase/Brase statistics site at www.cengagebrain.com and find the link to the Census Bureau.

450 400 350 300 E 250 200 + 150 100 50 + 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996