Americans say prison does not work!
* 75% of Americans polled disagree with the statement that “the prison system in the U.S. does a good job at helping prisoners become law-abiding”
* 72% support alternative penalties other than prison for non-violent offenders — interestingly, this figure is highest in the South (76%) and lowest in the West (65%)
* 67% disagree with the statement that “the justice system in the U.S. treats every person fairly”
* 42% disagree with the statement that “the criminal courts in the U.S. do a good job in determining whether or not an accused person is guilty”
* 36% express “complete confidence” or “a lot of confidence” in their state and local police. For federal agencies, that figure is 35% for the FBI, 26% for the ATF and DEA
* 22% express “complete confidence” in their local criminal courts; 25% in the Supreme Court
* 41% say they fear being a victim of violent crime “not too much”; 11% say they fear it “to a great extent”
Complete poll pdf.
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
John, you have a tough enough job taking on the UK without worrying about the US.
ReplyDeleteJames: The point is, Michael Howard using an American term claimed that in the UK "prison works".
ReplyDeleteClearly it does not work in the USA, nor UK.
Hi, just found your link at Prisoners Families Voices. My son went in to prison for driving offences, fines etc. He came out of prison a drug addict and a thief thanks to the HMP college the magistrates put him in. Prison is a load of bollocks and NO it doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteFascinating, John. Thanks for this.
ReplyDelete