figure 1 shows the number of unemployed persons (in millions) by different durations of unemployment.prior to the recession, the number of individuals unemployed for 27 weeks and over is relatively low and surpasses only those unemployed for 15 to 26 weeks. during and after the recessino,there is an especially sharp increase in long-term unemployment and by June 2009,category.today,persons unemployed for 27 weeks and over continue to significantly outnumber their counterparts in each category