The United States has an alarmingly high incarceration rate, but how does it compare to other countries, specifically El Salvador? This article explores the incarceration rates of each U.S. state in a global context, highlighting how they stack up against El Salvador and other nations.
Figure 1: Incarceration rates of NATO founding members compared to the United States.
While the U.S. boasts the highest incarceration rate among independent democracies, every single U.S. state surpasses most nations in per capita incarceration. Even states considered “progressive,” like New York and Massachusetts, exhibit surprisingly high rates when viewed globally.
Placing US States on the World Stage
When compared to international incarceration rates, each U.S. state reveals an extreme reliance on imprisonment. Although El Salvador holds the highest global incarceration rate, nine U.S. states follow closely behind, exceeding even Cuba. In fact, 24 U.S. states, along with El Salvador, Cuba, and Rwanda, have rates surpassing the national average of the United States. Massachusetts, despite having the lowest rate in the U.S., would still rank 30th globally, exceeding countries like Iran, Colombia, and all founding NATO members.
Surprisingly, many countries with comparable incarceration rates to the least punitive U.S. states—such as Turkmenistan, Belarus, Russia, and Azerbaijan—are known for authoritarian regimes. This starkly contrasts with the U.S.’s image as “the land of the free.” Furthermore, research indicates that high incarceration rates don’t significantly impact violence or overall crime rates.
The US and Its International Peers
The U.S.’s reliance on incarceration becomes even more pronounced when compared to similar nations. As Figure 1 illustrates, the U.S. significantly outpaces its international peers in incarceration rates. This disparity underscores the need to examine the underlying causes and consequences of the U.S.’s approach to criminal justice. Decades of increasingly punitive policies have led to incarceration becoming the default response to crime in the U.S.
A Turning Point for the US?
The U.S. stands at a critical juncture. The 2020 protests following George Floyd’s murder sparked hope for criminal justice reform and a potential shift away from mass incarceration. However, recent calls for a return to “tough-on-crime” policies threaten to reverse this progress. The decisions made in the coming years will determine whether the U.S. will align its incarceration practices with those of its global peers or continue down its current path. The goal for all states should be to move beyond simply being better than the worst U.S. states, but to strive for a truly just and equitable criminal justice system that aligns with international standards.
World Incarceration Rates If Every U.S. State Were A Country
Rates calculated per 100,000 people.
Figure 2. This graph shows incarceration rates per 100,000 people for each U.S. state and territory compared to countries with a population of at least 500,000.
