1 in 75 men in America in prison

Miakal

Report: 1 of Every 75 U.S. Men in Prison

By CONNIE CASS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - America's inmate population grew by 2.9 percent last year, to almost 2.1 million people, with one of every 75 men living in prison or jail.

The inmate population continued its rise despite a fall in the crime rate and many states' efforts to reduce some sentences, especially for low-level drug offenders.

The report issued Thursday by the Justice Department Bureau of Justice Statistics attributes much of the increase to get-tough policies enacted during the 1980s and '90s, such as mandatory drug sentences, "three-strikes-and-you're-out" laws for repeat offenders, and "truth-in-sentencing" laws that restrict early releases.

Whether that's good or bad depends on who is asked.
"The prison system just grows like a weed in the yard," said Vincent Schiraldi, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute, which pushes for a more lenient system.

Without reforms, he said, prison populations will continue to grow "almost as if they are on autopilot, regardless of their high costs and disappointing crime-control impact."

But Attorney General John Ashcroft said the report shows the success of efforts to take hard-core criminals off the streets.

"It is no accident that violent crime is at a 30-year low while prison population is up," Ashcroft said. "Violent and recidivist criminals are getting tough sentences while law-abiding Americans are enjoying unprecedented safety."


There were 715 inmates for every 100,000 U.S. residents at midyear in 2003, up from 703 a year earlier, the report found.


The nation's incarceration rate tops the world, according to The Sentencing Project, another group that promotes alternatives to prison. That compares with a rate of 169 per 100,000 residents in Mexico, 116 in Canada and 143 for England and Wales.


Russia's prison population, which once rivaled the United States', has dropped to 584 per 100,000 because of prisoner amnesties in recent years, the group said.


The U.S. inmate population in 2003 grew at its fastest pace in four years. The number of inmates increased 1.8 percent in state prisons, 7.1 percent in federal prisons and 3.9 percent in local jails.


In 2003, 68 percent of prison and jail inmates were members of racial or ethnic minorities, the government said. An estimated 12 percent of all black men in their 20s were in jails or prisons, as were 3.7 percent of Hispanic men and 1.6 percent of white men in that age group, according to the report.


The report also said:


_The number of women in state and federal prisons grew by 5 percent, compared to a 2.7 percent increase for men. Still, men greatly outnumber women: 1.36 million to 100,102.


_Local jails held 691,301 inmates.


_The inmate population in 10 states increased at least 5 percent. Some of the smallest state prison systems saw the largest increase: Vermont's grew by 12.2 percent, Minnesota was up 9.4 percent and Maine 9.1 percent.


_Only nine states logged a decrease in prison population, led by Rhode Island with a 3.4 percent drop; Arkansas, 2.2 percent; and Montana, 2.1 percent.

Credit: Yahoo


What do you think of this?

Is it a sign that the American Judicial system is passing or failing?

Personally, I think that's way too many. I don't think that 1 in 75 men deserve to be behind bars.

We need to re-structure our thought in this country. I think it's obvious that the prison system isn't all that effective. We need better programs to stop people from doing crimes in the first place, to help them get out of prison, or programs instead of prison to help them get on with their lives.

Punishment is just another way of saying revenge. It works with prison as well.

Disco Raheem

It'd be interesting to see the number of people that will go into prison during their lives. Also the number of people who reoffend.

Prisons don't work, they should be an extreme measure when other efforts have failed. And they should never be used on a drug addict - people go in a (relatively) harmless junkie and come out a serious offender.

Nothing traumatises a person like a stab in the asshole. See: Miakal.

Good Ol' JP

Thats amazing, I dont even know one person whos in prision or has been in prision. In america it seems like you can get sent down for anything though to be honest. I think a lot of your laws need some slack.

Rhyno's #1 mark just layed the smackdown!

If I am no one, and no one is perfect, then I am perfect.

Mr. Hyde

We just need a new government

Freak

I know of one person who has been in prison; he was released about a year ago, but should be put back in as soon as possible.

Invictus

Or maybe ours need to be tighter? Nothing is more irritating to me than a drug dealer who gets 2 years probation, or a drink driver who kills a kid and gets a £1000 fine. To me its very simple, if you do a crime you do some time. Maybe its because my dads a cop so he sees all the scum who he tracks down only to be given a slap on the wrist and some community service.

Disco Raheem

You're dads probably on the mafia payroll.

I have had some experience with the police, and they're the most two faced people on the planet. You're out having a good time with your mates and they'll try and stand over you and treat you like a piece of shit because you're young and drunk; smoke a joint and they'll bend you over in the back of the paddy wagon.

So you think a child from a family with no money, decides to grow a bit of pot and sell it to his friends to make some money, should be locked away? Where he'll get raped and bashed by some of the meanest members of society, and come out a traumatised heroin junkie who won't think twice about slitting your throat for a buck. That's an exaggeration, but the process is the same.