Between 1980 and 1995, the total Federal and State inmate population grew at an average annual rate of about 8.5 percent. The total population grew from about 329,800 inmates in 1980 to about 1.1 million inmates in 1995, an overall increase of about 242 percent. The Federal inmate population grew about 311 percent, while the State inmate population grew about 237 percent. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) projects the Federal prison population may reach about 125,000 inmates by the year 2000, an increase of 25 percent over the 1995 level. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) projects the total Federal and State inmate population under sentencing policies in effect as of 1994 may reach 1.4 million inmates by the year 2000, an increase of 24 percent over the 1995 level. The BOP predicts prison operating costs may total about $3.6 billion in fiscal year 2000, an increase of 88 percent over the fiscal year 1994 level. The BOP also projects capital costs for new Federal prisons scheduled to begin operations during fiscal years 1996 to 2006 may total about $4 billion. The NCCD estimates $10.6 to $15.1 billion may be needed to construct additional State prisons to accommodate anticipated inmate population increases between 1995 and 2000 and $21.9 billion may be needed by the end of the decade to operate these prisons. 1 table and 2 figures