The United States has the highest prison population in the world. Some 2.37 million are currently behind bars at 5,100 federal and state prisons, with about 12 million cycling through the US prison system annually, the fresh Human Rights Watch (HRW) report estimates.
Mandatory minimum penalties for largely drug and weapons-related crimes have resulted in US prisons being filled with low-level offenders, prompting Congress to introduce several reform bills. None of them have become laws, the report indicates.
The struggle continues in the United States to limit the use of solitary confinement and reduce its duration, according to the HRW report. An estimated 100,000 inmates are being held in isolation.
Jail staff have been reported to use "unnecessary, excessive, and even malicious force" against prisoners, including those with mental disabilities.
HRW's World Report 2016 is the 26th annual edition that presents the main human rights issues around the world.
