One per cent of Americans now in jail
"They used to call it the land of the free, but a new report shows that the United States is nowadays more a nation of the incarcerated. For the first time in history, more than 1 per cent of the US adult population is now behind bars. For minority populations, the rates of imprisonment are much higher".
And from the Guardian more of the same.
The land of the free no more...
I was stunned by that percentage, but it's due to the draconian laws we have requiring imprisonment for certain, many times non-violent crimes. What happens? We turn perfectly peaceful individuals into ...(finish it for yourself.) Obama is the only candidate to come clean and say that crack users get more time that snooty coke users - it's true, and why - because crack users are black. That plus turning juveniles into adults, I think, has got something to do with this; besides the idea that one, two, three strikes you're out is just plain evil, in some instances.
ReplyDeleteAs an ex-social worker - I think there's more there, but I don't know the statistical details.
Let's all thank George W. Bush, who has the record for capital punishment. Any wonder why he relates so well with the Saudis?