| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Octavius Hite

Joined: 28 Jan 2004 Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:17 pm Post subject: US prison system 'costly failure' |
|
|
Just like the War on Drugs, further proof that the US system just doesn't work.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7102054.stm
| Quote: |
The US prison population has risen eight-fold since 1970, with little impact on crime but at great cost to the taxpayer, researchers say.
There are more than 1.5 million people in US state and federal jails, a report by a Washington-based criminal justice research group, the JFA Institute says.
Inmate numbers are projected to rise by 192,000 in five years, costing $27.5bn (�13.44bn) to build and run jails.
The JFA recommends reducing the number and length of sentences.
The Unlocking America report, which was published on Monday, also advocated changing terms of parole and finding alternatives to prison as part of a major overhaul of the US justice system.
"There is no evidence that keeping people in prison longer makes us any safer," said JFA president James Austin.
Women convicts
The report said that US crime rates, which have been in decline since the 1990s, are about the same as those for 1973.
US prison population graph
It says the incarceration rate has soared because sentences have got longer and those who violate parole or probation are more likely to be given prison terms.
The report said that every year hundreds of thousands of Americans are sent to jail "for crimes that pose little if any danger or harm to society".
It cited several examples including a Florida woman's two-year sentence for throwing a cup of coffee at another car in a traffic row.
Its recommendations run counter to the Bush administration's policy of longer, harsher sentences, which the government says has contributed to falling violent crime and murder figures.
The JFA researchers found that women represented the fastest-growing sector of the US prison population.
The report was funded by the Rosenbaum Foundation and the Open Society Institute. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: Re: US prison system 'costly failure' |
|
|
| Octavius Hite wrote: |
further proof that the US system just doesn't work.
|
ROFL.
OH is always on the verge of pointing out something insightful, and then he rolls back into mindless nationalism.
Tell me, OH, what is the 'US system?' And I mean besides some wonderful construct you've made in your head that represents all bad and oppressive. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Pluto
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Put a better way:
How many political prisoners are in the US federal, any individual state or local prison system? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Pluto wrote: |
Put a better way:
How many political prisoners are in the US federal, any individual state or local prison system? |
Far too many. Sadly. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
igotthisguitar

Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
What would constitute a political prisoner?
btw - Do you know where the Bush crime syndicate's largest investment lies?
OIL? Nope.
BANKING? Not exactly.
It's said to be another "key" industry.
Guess which one. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Octavius Hite

Joined: 28 Jan 2004 Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Kuros your retarded. The story is specifically about the US prison system. And IT is broken. Particularly when it comes to people (black people) in jail for drugs.
Thats whats f*cked up.
It has nothing to do with nationalism, just stupidity but then you know all about that, don't you? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Octavius Hite wrote: |
Kuros your retarded. The story is specifically about the US prison system. And IT is broken. Particularly when it comes to people (black people) in jail for drugs.
Thats whats f*cked up.
It has nothing to do with nationalism, just stupidity but then you know all about that, don't you? |
Well, you didn't say 'US prison system' you said 'US system.'
But since you think I'm retarded I don't feel so bad for my mistake.
Anyway, I don't need some nationalist Canadian to tell me the drug war is fucked up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| The United States uses incarceration as the primary tool for "fixing" post-slavery social problems. It is quite disgusting. Only a handful of nations have higher rates of incarceration. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong
|
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
In Oregon, the prison system has become a lock'em up and throw away the key way of life for most criminals. Most form of rehabilitation have been eliminated due to the fact the state can't afford them and that a ballot measure was passed (I can't remember the name or number of the measure) that made rehabilitating people less important.
They can't build prisons fast enough and most of the people in the larger areas don't want prisons. Therefore the newest prisons are built in the middle of nowhere. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|