WASHINGTON – The growth of Maryland state prison populations has taken a nose-dive, after a decade of booming growth. Experts have varying theories for the slow-down. YEAR*
PRISON
POP.
PERCENT
POP.
CHANGE
CHANGE 1994
20,887
—
— 1995
21,441
554
2.7 1996
22,118
677
3.2 1997
22,415
297
1.3 1998
22,566
151
0.7 *Maryland state prison population on June 30. Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.