Why does the US imprison so many people?

The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. With 2.2 million people behind bars and millions more on probation or parole, 1 in 35 American adults is caught up in the prison system.

For people of color, it’s even worse, with 1 in 3 African-American males expected to go to jail or prison at some point in their lives.

AJ+ teamed up with the Marshall Project to find out why.