New research from the Pew Center on the States finds that for the first time in 38 years, the number of state prisoners in the United States has declined. As of January, 1,403,091 people were under the jurisdiction of state prison authorities, 5,739 fewer than on December 31, 2008. Illinois shed 313 from its prison population, a number that would have been higher without Gov. Pat Quinn's controversial early release programs.