In the span of 5 years, when information on correctional budgets was obtained for fiscal year 1994-95, correctional spending increased 25 percent, according to information compiled for this current budget year (1999-2000). The average figure for 2000 is $631,868,868, as reported by 43 systems in the United States. As indicated by many of the corrections personnel who completed the survey, the budget of any given system is complex and highly individualized, and the numbers divulged in the survey tables in this report are best reviewed on a system-by-system basis. Increased spending in the amount of $1,308,664,025 is indicated by all reporting jurisdictions, with the exception of the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, New York, and Rhode Island. Primarily, the increases are for 35 new or expanded facilities in 19 systems, representing 31,511 new beds. Staff member increases totaled 10,894, while only 13 new programs were mentioned, which were representative of only eight States. Several years ago, conventional wisdom was that accelerated prison growth would level off or drop because the growth was too expensive for governments to maintain. A look at correctional budgets now indicates the conventional wisdom was wrong. 3 tables and 14 references