Americans are the most imprisoned people

[Pekelo]

Here is an interesting statistics about the Land of Freedom:

According to the World Prison Population List, in more than 200 countries, there are about 9 million prisoners. The US prison population is currently 2.3 million.

Thus although the US population is only 4% of the world's population, American prisoners make up a quarter of all prisoners.

Anybody care to discuss the topic??

 

[drmarkan]

Quote from Pekelo:

Here is an interesting statistics about the Land of Freedom:

According to the World Prison Population List, in more than 200 countries, there are about 9 million prisoners. The US prison population is currently 2.3 million.

Thus although the US population is only 4% of the world's population, American prisoners make up a quarter of all prisoners.

Anybody care to discuss the topic??

Do the citizens of other countries feel as safe? Are their police doing their jobs or just looking for payoffs?

China almost only arrests political dissidents. Part of the reason that there is less crime there has to do with the fact that the people fear they will get gunned down for even the pettiest of crimes.

Here, people may feel the risk vs. the reward is worth committing the crime. They know they will do some time, but don't care. Does that mean we should not make them face the penalties?

I do agree that there may need to be some rethinking of our penal codes, but I don't believe that a major overhaul is necessary.

 

[Ivanovich]

I think Chris Rock said it best:

"When you live in an old project, a new jail aint that bad!"

 

[Pekelo]

Quote from drmarkan:

Do the citizens of other countries feel as safe? Are their police doing their jobs or just looking for payoffs?

Since when Americans feel themselves safe? Well, I do, and we never lock our doors, actually we don't even have keys to our house. But you should see my arsenal of weapons!

Just kidding on that one, but sure, Americans don't feel themselves safe, just watch Fox news!

I know that the Japanese police have a 98% conviction rate, thus pretty much everybody whom they arrest get convicted.

Now I think if a country has 6 times the imprisonment rate of the average, there must be something wrong...

Edit: Some statistics I found:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/uk/06/prisons/html/nn2page1.stm

Japan has 1/11th of the US rate and England has 1/5th, just for comparison...

Friendly advice: Don't get arrested in Kenya. It has the prison occupancy level at 343%!!!!

The female ratio (8.7%) is also the highest among American prisoners!!! Yeah, tough ladies they are...

 

[drmarkan]

Quote from Pekelo:

Since when Americans feel themselves safe? Well, I do, and we never lock our doors, actually we don't even have keys to our house. But you should see my arsenal of weapons!

Just kidding on that one, but sure, Americans don't feel themselves safe, just watch Fox news!

I know that the Japanese police have a 98% conviction rate, thus pretty much everybody whom they arrest get convicted.

Now I think if a country has 6 times the imprisonment rate of the average, there must be something wrong...

What do you feel is wrong?

 

[Pekelo]

Well, I am not a sociologist, just play one on ET, but:

-- too many people jailed for non-violent crimes, specially drug use
-- lack of social security
-- too many weapons in the hands of the people
-- low level of general education

P.S.: WE could outsource prisoners to Turkey, their occupation rate is only 77%... Now, that is a business idea!!

 

[Rearden Metal]

Prohibition FACTS:

Drug Offenders In The Corrections System — Prisons, Jails and Probation

Race, Prison and the Drug Laws

Mandatory Minimums

Crime

Year:2004

Total Violent Crime Arrests: 590,258
Marijuana Possession Arrests: 684,319
Total Drug Arrests: 1,745,712

 

[bsmeter]

Americans are addicted to Fear.

Think about that statement, and then think again.

 

[Rearden Metal]

Quote from drmarkan:



I do agree that there may need to be some rethinking of our penal codes, but I don't believe that a major overhaul is necessary.

The government devotes greater law enforcement resources to prohibition enforcement and the seizing of political prisoners and their property... than it devotes to fighting child molesters, murderers, and terrorists combined.

Does this seem right to you?

 

[acronym]

BSmeter is correct.
The ratings of crime shows, the fact that there is actually a horror movie genre, at all, suggests so.
Perhaps, the support for pointless , vindictive and just stupid laws derives from some perverse puritan ethic-they are afraid of being punished, hence the strident support of laws that would just as likely see the those supporters imprisoned for stuff all.
Perhaps being "seen" to support "tough on crime " measures is some sort of perverse thrill for the neo-con mindset, and more important to the average person than reality and common sense, and standing up for reasonable ideas and concepts.

Just a theory.