If you put millions of people (higher percentage than countries in Europe e.G) into prison there are less people unemployed. That doesn't say something about yo

If you put millions of people (higher percentage than countries in Europe e.G) into prison there are less people unemployed. That doesn't say something about your economy though, for which, beside GDP, the unemployement rate very often is a proxy. The biggest other reason: Unemployement rate in Europe is mostly calculated by the number of people getting benefits and looking for a job (roughly) (+ in Germany if they work less than 15h/week). The US calls a sample of housholds (some 10k) and asks if the people in the household actively look for jobs but don't have one. In that case they are counted as jobless.