The Associated Press ran this story yesterday:
NEW YORK - For the first time in U.S. history, more than one of every 100 adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report documenting America’s rank as the world’s No. 1 incarcerator. It urges states to curtail corrections spending by placing fewer low-risk offenders behind bars.As America continues its Authoritarian slide, one can't help but wonder, how did we get here? In response, I humbly offer up a newsflash of my own: Lack of education/job opportunities + impoverished living conditions = crime.Using state-by-state data, the report says 2,319,258 Americans were in jail or prison at the start of 2008 — one out of every 99.1 adults. Whether per capita or in raw numbers, it’s more than any other nation.
The report, released Thursday by the Pew Center on the States, said the 50 states spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending, the report said.
Read On...
7 comments:
this is true
Very alarming. THanks for sharing.
What a sobering thought, just to let you know that the Brits are no better though!
I just wrote a long piece on this yesterday. It's troubling, even for a non-American.
Education is paramount in this, the fact is those in power do not care because they and theirs are likely to stay in power forever - with the base of those educated enough to even understand the process never mind participate in it will shrink.
prisons should be made worse to deter crime... no cable tv... no gourmet food... no conjugal visits.. etc
put the funding into public education
Sadly - u add racism & the numbers of folk who look like shades of me incarcerated is REALLY FRIGHTENING!!!
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