WASHINGTON—Today, The Heritage Foundation unveiled a new report titled “The Myth of Mass Incarceration.” The report challenges the mainstream narrative that mass incarceration is a significant issue within the U.S. justice system, arguing that such beliefs have led to policies that fail to incarcerate violent criminals adequately.
Cully Stimson, a Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, former state and federal prosecutor, and co-author of the report, stated: “This report debunks the pro-criminal, anti-victim claim that the United States is locking up too many people and the only solution is to release dangerous criminals back onto the streets. The proponents of this outrageous narrative are attempting to divide the country along racial lines and ignoring a serious national crime problem that has worsened under the Biden Administration.”
The report presents several key findings:
- Those who promote the mass incarceration myth use an expansive definition of "incarceration," often including individuals not actually behind bars, inflating the perception of mass incarceration.
- Actual violent crime rates in the United States are higher than reported figures suggest. Many crimes go unreported by victims, police do not arrest for all reported crimes, prosecutors do not prosecute all arrests made, and juries do not convict all prosecuted cases.
- Criminal justice laws and policies are facially neutral with no distinctions based on race.
- American prisons are not filled with inmates who were over-sentenced. Sentencing data show any disparity between black and non-black offenders is relatively small.
- A fraction of those who commit crimes are imprisoned—even among violent offenders—and it is likely that too few are incarcerated.
Zack Smith, also a Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, former federal prosecutor, and co-author of the report added: “The idea that the United States unjustly targets and imprisons non-violent persons and innocent minorities is nothing more than a scare tactic from the pro-crime lobby. The reality is, the United States faces a crime epidemic where American communities are no longer as safe due to Soros-backed prosecutors and soft-on-crime policies pushed by mainstream media and Leftist politicians. This comprehensive report explains how the United States’ justice system is not systemically racist and sets the record straight on incarceration trends.”
