Why are 2.3 Million Americans in Prison?
Published by Jamie Myles on April 4, 2009 in Opinions-
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The United States has the worlds Highest Incarceration rate. We currently Incarcerate or otherwise supervise on parole or the equivalent of, about one in every 31 adults in America.
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With over 2.3 million adults in prison and another 5 million people who recently left prison still under the correctional systems jurisdiction which includes those on parole, probation or some other form of community custody. We are either the most wicked people in the world or something is fundamentally wrong with the system.
Over the past twenty years we have been incarcerating Unprecedented numbers of people for non- violent offences or for behavior due to mental illness. The U.S. Department of justice estimates that about 16% of the adult inmates in our prisons and jails are Mentally ill.
Of course the recidivism rate is huge since once someone gets out of prison it is very difficult to get a job and the debt that prisoners owe for the time of incarceration and Parole or probation upon release is pretty huge. In other words the system its self has made sure that most will return to prison.
Drug offenders make up over 33% of the prison population, About 60% of those serving time in our state prisons for a drug conviction have no history of violent offences and are basically in prison for possession of controlled substances. Only one out of five have any sales conviction. so Three out of four drug offenders in prison are incarcerated for for non- violent
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offences or strictly drug offences. This creates a huge burden on the taxpayers. There has to be a better way to handle the non-violent offenders so we can make room in our over crowded prison system for the huge population of violent gang members that have seized our cities.
so true Jamie but what is the answer? we’ll never know as long as there are prisons to put people in that really shouldn’t be there. It is a very perplexing situation.
An interesting and very true article.
I believe it’s because we prosecute petty offenders who are no real danger to society. We jail those who have marajuana or for traffic fines, all sorts of things that should be ironed out outside the court.
A really interesting and thoughtprovoking piece.
I am with Ruby on this one… too many people behind bars when they could do their time in the community…. I hear Detroit needs a lick of paint..
You definitely covered some truths about incarceration here, and then once released what chances do they have of gaining employment and becoming an asset to society?
In California 20 percent of the prison population are illegal aliens. A good start at prison reform would be to deport all foreign nationals to their country of origin.
“About 60% of those serving time in our state prisons for a drug conviction have no history of violent offences and are basically in prison for possession of controlled substances.”
Thanks for the informative article. The non-violent prisoners should be released in a one-time amnesty.