A new report, Punishment Beyond Prisons 2026, has found that 5.5 million people are under the control of the criminal legal system in the US. The report's findings have sparked discussions about incarceration trends and potential reforms, with some outlets examining state-by-state data and others considering alternative models, such as the Scandinavian prison system. The report's release has also led to examinations of specific issues, including the incarceration of senior citizens and the intersection of gun possession and drug use laws.