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Why are there so many Prisoners in the US?


Bob26003

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http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_pri_...ners-per-capita

Crime Statistics > Prisoners > Per capita by country

Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)

#1 United States: 715 per 100,000 people

#2 Russia: 584 per 100,000 people

#3 Belarus: 554 per 100,000 people

#4 Palau: 523 per 100,000 people

#5 Belize: 459 per 100,000 people

#6 Suriname: 437 per 100,000 people

#7 Dominica: 420 per 100,000 people

#8 Ukraine: 416 per 100,000 people

#9 Bahamas, The: 410 per 100,000 people

#10 South Africa: 402 per 100,000 people

#11 Kyrgyzstan: 390 per 100,000 people

#12 Singapore: 388 per 100,000 people

#13 Kazakhstan: 386 per 100,000 people

#14 Barbados: 367 per 100,000 people

#15 Panama: 354 per 100,000 people

#16 Trinidad and Tobago: 351 per 100,000 people

#17 Thailand: 340 per 100,000 people

#18 Estonia: 339 per 100,000 people

#19 Latvia: 339 per 100,000 people

#20 Saint Kitts and Nevis: 338 per 100,000 people

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_prison_population

Comparison with other countries

Compared with other countries, the United States has among the highest incarceration rates in the world. More people are behind bars in the United States than any other country. As of 2006, a record 7 million people were behind bars, on probation or on parole. Of the total 2.2 million were incarcerated. China ranks second with 1.5 million followed by Russia with 870,000. The United States has 5 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's incarcerated population. [2]

As of 2006, the incarceration rate in prison and jail, in the United States was 737 inmates per 100,000 or 1 of every 136 adults. [3]. For the most part, the U.S. rate is three to eight times that of the Western European nations and Canada. The rate in England and Wales, for example, is 139 persons imprisoned per 100,000 residents while in Norway it is 59 per 100,000. In many countries, it is common for prisoners to be paroled after serving as little as one third of their sentences. In the US, most states strictly limit parole, requiring at serving of at least half of the sentence. For certain heinous crimes, there is no parole and the full sentence must be served.

The prison population in China was 111 per 100,000 in 2001 (sentenced prisoners only), although this figure is highly disputed. Chinese human rights activist Harry Wu, who spent 19 years in forced-labor camps for criticizing the government, estimates that 16 to 20 million of his countrymen are incarcerated, including common criminals, political prisoners, and people in involuntary job placements. Even ten million prisoners would mean a rate of 793 per 100,000. [8

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http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0818/p02s01-usju.html

US notches world's highest incarceration rate

WASHINGTON – More than 5.6 million Americans are in prison or have served time there, according to a new report by the Justice Department released Sunday. That's 1 in 37 adults living in the United States, the highest incarceration level in the world.

It's the first time the US government has released estimates of the extent of imprisonment, and the report's statistics have broad implications for everything from state fiscal crises to how other nations view the American experience.

If current trends continue, it means that a black male in the United States would have about a 1 in 3 chance of going to prison during his lifetime. For a Hispanic male, it's 1 in 6; for a white male, 1 in 17.

The numbers come after many years of get-tough policies - and years when violent-crime rates have generally fallen. But to some observers, they point to broader failures in US society, particularly in regard to racial minorities and others who are economically disadvantaged.

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And people who commit the crime. Always don't think about their actions & such. Just saying.

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Because we don't follow through with the death penalty.

iirc US already has the highest death penalty %, now you maybe want to execute even for smoking pot?

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Why are there so many Prisoners in the US?

Maybe because Americans aren’t prepared to put up with crap?

Speaking as someone who lives in the Uk.. I envy your prison sentences. Life pretty much means life. Here in UK life only means on average 10-15yrs.

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Why are there so many prisoners in the U.S.?

Two reasons:

1). Stupid people who commit crimes until they get caught.

2). Our Police Force is world class at catching the little b@st@rds.

The real question is "Why aren't there more in prison in the U.S.?" Answer: Lawyers. In the U.S. if the State can't "prove beyond a shadow of a doubt", (it's a real legal term, look it up), you are deemed innocent. As a former law enforcer who has seen the inner workers of the U.S. Justice System, I'm here to tell you, it's a wonder that anybody ever goes to jail. What is truly sad is when some perp gets off on a technicallity and ends up getting arrested on the same charges a few weeks later.

While I was working in the jail there was as inmate who finished a two year sentence for shoplifting cigarettes at a grocery store. He was released on a Friday. 23 HOURS LATER he was arrested for shoplifting cigarettes AT THE SAME GROCERY STORE. He was actually apprehended by the SAME STORE MANAGER! He was still awaiting trial when I quit. I never did find out if it was the same brand of cigarettes though.

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Why are there so many Prisoners in the US?

Maybe because Americans aren’t prepared to put up with crap?

That's what I was pretty much thinking. Though we do have a lot of stupid laws that somehow got passed.

Speaking as someone who lives in the Uk.. I envy your prison sentences. Life pretty much means life. Here in UK life only means on average 10-15yrs.

We do slap a lot of people pretty good, though we have our fair share of criminals getting off the hook.

The numbers come after many years of get-tough policies - and years when violent-crime rates have generally fallen. But to some observers, they point to broader failures in US society, particularly in regard to racial minorities and others who are economically disadvantaged.

Why do they seperate racial minorities and the economically disadvantaged? You'd honestly think that it would be a broader defined meaning to economically disadvantaged. The numbers show that there are a lot of minorities that are such so there is no real reason to seperate them but to just try to show the entire US justice system is out to get non-whites.

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I dunno Umbarger. We have pretty Draconian sentencing here. Alot of Non violent Pot Head types doing the same amount of time as rapists and violent criminals.

I mean come on, Two years for stealing smokes? WTF?

Anyway, the numbers tell the story. There is definately something wrong. We should not have the highest rate per capita of Prisoners in the World. Hell, Iran has less.

I think it is because of a growing general realization that the American Working and Middle Classes are being screwed.............. Or better yet, call it a general dissatisfaction with the state of things.

And the feeling of Powerlessness to change anything or be involved. So, people rebel.

And well, the Poor already know this.

Edited by Bob26003
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I dunno Umbarger. We have pretty Draconian sentencing here. Alot of Non violent Pot Head types doing the same amount of time as rapists and violent criminals.

Being a pot head doesn't really get you any time at all for holding. Now if you're moving a shipment of the green stuff and you're selling, you're going to get slapped upside the head by the law for being a drug dealer.

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Being a pot head doesn't really get you any time at all for holding. Now if you're moving a shipment of the green stuff and you're selling, you're going to get slapped upside the head by the law for being a drug dealer.

Well, do you have any ideas Kratos as to why we have the highest per capita incarceration rate in the World?

It is NOT a good thing.

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Alot of Non violent Pot Head types doing the same amount of time as rapists and violent criminals.

I mean come on, Two years for stealing smokes? WTF?
Often, we have the longest sentences for crimes that are rampant irregardless of their severity. Of course, I can sort of understand the two years thing. His rap sheet listed him as having been arrested for shoplifting a number of times before he ever got any sentenced time. Personally, I understand why a lot of big companies want the pot-laws to stay on the books. It's a good way to get out of paying workmens comp! But, yeah, thta is a little on the harsh side though. I can smoke a cigarette and drink a shot of vodka but, it's somehow unsavory to get the same effects from a single source? Yeah, it does seem a little stupid on the surface.
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Well, do you have any ideas Kratos as to why we have the highest per capita incarceration rate in the World?

It is NOT a good thing.

I do, the education system is flawed because it doesn't help enough children. Then you have a lot of lazy parents that just don't let their kids care about school. I really do think more and better education would help quite a bit. If you look at our system compared to some European countries like Belguim or something, we really ought to be ashamed of ourselves as a country.

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Definately, Better Educations are always good......

I think it would also help if our Working Class did not have to compete with Peanut Wage Labor..............

I believe our Gov. has failed us greatly in allowing our Manufacturing base and so much more to be shipped overseas.............

Especially being that all those boys died and fought in Nam and Korea supposedly fighting Communism...... Only to come back and see our Gov. befriend them.

The Real War is not the "War on Terror", the Real War is the same War it has been for ages. The Priveledged and Wealthy class versus the population........

And I think increasingly Americans are becoming aware of this.........

In fact, I believe the majority of the original Republicans were severely opposed to what they called "Wage Slavery" in response to the blossoming Industrial way of life , and believed it was an attack on human dignity and would destroy the ideals of Freedom and individualism that flourished in this Country.

Edited by Bob26003
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Why are there so many prisoners in the US?

Because there are more people in the US. The more people you have the more crime you have. The more crime you have,the more people you have in prison.

Why are there so many prisoners in the US?

Because we can afford it. The tax revenues generated by our high standard of living means we can afford a large judicial and law enforcement system. It also means we can afford to build and staff prisons. The larger a judicial system,the more people put in prison.

Why are there so many prisoners in the US?

Because more crimes are reported. Places like China and Belize are peasant societies. If some guy in a peasant village in China or Belize kills his wife,the crime probably will not be reported. Places on your list like Russia have a large mafia system. When the mafia in Russia kills someone it will probably not be reported.

Comparing the United States prison population to the prison population of Trinidad and Tobago(#16 on your list) is a joke. The popualtion of Trinidad and Tobago is 1,305,000. The country of Trinidad and Tobago is only 1,979 square miles.

I would much rather live in the US than any of the other 20 countries on your list.

Edited by supercar
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yea its all those b******* who are commiting the crimes, they arent brought up right, it may be that the government drove them to do the crimes tho

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While I was working in the jail there was as inmate who finished a two year sentence for shoplifting cigarettes at a grocery store. He was released on a Friday. 23 HOURS LATER he was arrested for shoplifting cigarettes AT THE SAME GROCERY STORE. He was actually apprehended by the SAME STORE MANAGER! He was still awaiting trial when I quit. I never did find out if it was the same brand of cigarettes though.

Two years for a pack of cigaretts? Wtf.. No wonder US prisions are so full, people get arested for such a crap crimes.

Pack of cigarettes costs like 1$? How much does a country spends on a prisioner in two years?

Reminds me of these radical Islamic countrys where you get stoned or whatevr for saying something bad about Islam or kissing a woman which isnt married to you.

Difference is that in US you get a** raped in jail for two years for a pack of cigarettes lol.

Edited by Devendra
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Two years for a pack of cigaretts?

No one gets two years for a pack of cigarettes. If you have several convictions for robbery or assault,then shoplift cigarettes,you could go to prison for two years.

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No one gets two years for a pack of cigarettes. If you have several convictions for robbery or assault,then shoplift cigarettes,you could go to prison for two years.

Then I guess that guy robbed a bank before stealing this pack of cigarettes or something. :lol:

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Then I guess that guy robbed a bank before stealing this pack of cigarettes or something. :lol:

Nope. He probably has a history of robbing convienence stores,selling drugs,beating his wife and driving under the influence of alchohal.

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Why?

Because failure of society (poverty, segregation and thus, desperation, etc) means $$$ for the corporates.

Linky

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The answer for this is a bit obvious.

The US has plenty of laws that plenty of people break and they get caught. However, that doesn't mean a place like Russia has less crime. Why? Because in Russia the criminals barely ever get caught. In the US I assume at least 60% of criminals are actually caught. In Russia that # is probably 25-30%. As well as other countries like Great Britain. The US is also a cesspool of all different cultures. A "melting pot" if you will. The mix of cultures can cause discrimination thus causing violence. We have all types of organized crime, killers, etc.

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I think it would also help if our Working Class did not have to compete with Peanut Wage Labor..............

I believe our Gov. has failed us greatly in allowing our Manufacturing base and so much more to be shipped overseas.............
I never thought that I'd hear a Clinton plan, (NAFTA), be so totally trashed by a leftist.

Two years for a pack of cigaretts? Wtf.. No wonder US prisions are so full, people get arested for such a crap crimes.

Pack of cigarettes costs like 1$? How much does a country spends on a prisioner in two years?

Difference is that in US you get a** raped in jail for two years for a pack of cigarettes lol.

No one gets two years for a pack of cigarettes. If you have several convictions for robbery or assault,then shoplift cigarettes,you could go to prison for two years.

Then I guess that guy robbed a bank before stealing this pack of cigarettes or something

Nope. He probably has a history of robbing convienence stores,selling drugs,beating his wife and driving under the influence of alchohal.

Supercar is on the right track. I clearly stated that he had been apprehended a number of times for shop lifting in the past and had not recieved ANYTHING more thsan a slap ion the wrist. Also, I never said that is was a PACK of cigarettes. Nonetheless, rather it was a pack or a truckload, the point is that he was caught stealing repeatedly. As I remember it, he'd been caught well over TWELVE TIMES before he wsa ever sentenced. You'd think that after being caught a few times he'd realize that he wasn't so good a thief but, no.

In all truth, for every time that he got caught, he probably got away with it ten times. Think of it like this, how many times have you gotten a speeding ticket and thought, "Damn, I'm glad he didnt see me two miles back!"? So, you got caught doing 60 in a 45, eh? Two miles ago, you were doing well over 80, weren't you? Don't lie. I know you were. Hell, I've done it too! That's why I've never kvetched too loud about paying the fine. That's why he couldn't raise a stink about getting two years in the county joint.

No, the government spends billions a year on education. HE dropped out. The Government has programs to help the unemployed, the underprivledged, the malnutritioned, the lazy... There are so many safety nets in the U.S. that only an oiled snake sh!tting crisco could get through them all. If you end up in prison, it's because you've put forth far more effort to get there than it would take to stay out.

Don't try to blow smoke at me. I worked in law enforcement.

Edited by Lord Umbarger
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