Why have the number of prison inmates jumped so precipitously?

Answer 1

One of the reasons for higher prisoner population is the inability to adequately treat the mentally ill. This is due to cutbacks in funding for support programs and inpatient and outpatient therapy. The mentally ill then end up in the prison system.

Answer 2

Doubtlessly there are several causes of increased prison populations. First, the population in general has increased, so if the crime rate per capita and the degree of law enforcement simply stay the same, prison populations will also increase. But it is also true that many people are not finding the economic opportunities that they want within lawful professions, and turn to crime; this is to some extent a failure of education, and a failure of society at large to help its members to become productive members of society. As I recently commented in another answer, the world is getting more crowded, more complicated, and more confusing for many people, which contributes to these kinds of problems. We might add that people who demand that the government get tough on crime, rather than that the government get tough on the causes of crime, contribute to rising prison populations (which, of course, these same people then have to pay for; incarceration is very expensive to taxpayers).

Answer 3

Because general populations are increasing. Because general populations are increasing.