The Prison population is increasing world-wide but the rate of imprisonment varies widely from country to country.There has been a major increase in the use of prison as a punishment, for longer sentences to be demanded-prison a mandatory punishment for people using drugs, the“three strikes and you’re out”rule. An increasingly materialistic and acquisitive society has demanded harsher treatment for crimes against property.

YEAR DOW JONES AVERAGE USA PRISON POPULATION

1972 1,000 300,000

1999 10,000 1,800,000

The USA has over 1.8 million people in Prison-a rate of nearly 600 per 100,000. This rate is equalled or exceeded by the Soviet Union.

In Holland it is 60 per 100,000 and across Europe it averages 100 per 100,000.

There is no evidence that a higher or lower rate of imprisonment effects crime statistics.