There are at least 134 prison escapees across the U.S.

In a study of all 50 states, the Associated Press discovered that there are at least 134 escaped prisoners who remain on the run. Many of the inmates have been missing for decades, making the chance of their capture slim.

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that around 2,000 state and federal inmates escaped or went missing without leave in 2013, but when AP asked states for current totals of escapees, several couldn't immediately answer or only reported escapees in recent decades, making 134 a low estimate.

Most prisoners are recovered after only a few hours or days. After six months, however, a fugitive's trail gets cold, according to Chuck Jordan, the president of the National Association of Fugitive Recovery Agents. Many long-lost inmates have probably died.

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AP's investigation follows the high-profile escape of two convicted murderers from a maximum security prison in upstate New York. Richard Matt and David Sweat, who made their break on June 6, have still not been found.