The rate of imprisonment for black adults fell almost 30 percent over a decade, according to a Wednesday report from the Department of Justice.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics released its statistics on the United States prison population and the rate of imprisonment among different groups, according to a release from the bureau. Among its findings was that black Americans’ rate of imprisonment declined by 29 percent between 2006 and 2016.
“During the decade between 2006 and 2016, the rate of imprisonment decreased 29 percent for black adults, 15 percent for white adults and 20 percent for Hispanic adults,” the report said.
The bureau also noted that the prison rate declined across the board for Hispanics, non-Hispanic white people, and non-Hispanic black Americans during the period of 2015-2016.
“The imprisonment rate decreased for non-Hispanic adult black, non-Hispanic adult white and adult Hispanic prisoners from 2015 to 2016. The rate of imprisonment decreased 4 percent for black adults (from 1,670 to 1,608 per 100,000), 2 percent for white adults (from 281 to 274 per 100,000) and 1 percent for adult Hispanic prisoners (from 862 to 856 per 100,000),” a press release said.
A recent study argued that the United States was keeping people in prison for too long and suggested the country get rid of its life without parole sentences.
“Everyone deserves a meaningful chance of release,” the Urban Institute study said. “People should not be forever judged solely based on their crime but should instead be evaluated based on who they are now.”
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