Number of whites in U.S. jails rises as black population drops

Vera Institute researchers found that the white population in local jails across the country has steadily climbed while the black population has fallen.(SAKHORN38/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO)

The racial gap in the nation’s jails has narrowed in recent decades, according to a report released Monday.

Vera Institute researchers found that the white population in local jails across the country has steadily climbed while the black population has fallen.

Black Americans are still 3 ½ times more likely than whites to be incarcerated — despite making up only 13% of the overall population, the institute said.

But the number of black people in the country’s 3,000 local jails declined by 12% between 2005 and 2013, the report claims.

Between 1990 and 2013, the population of white people behind bars doubled, mainly in rural areas and small cities.

Researchers believe the opioid crisis, which has largely affected white communities in rural areas, could be a contributing factor.

- ny news