U.S. Sees First Decrease in Prison Population in Nearly 40 Years

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. prison population has dropped for the first time in nearly 40 years.

According to the most recent government data, the number of inmates is down 1.3 percent, to about 7 million offenders behind bars. Much of the decline, officials say, is due to a well-informed group of policymakers.

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