Posted on 02/28/2008 4:45:28 PM PST by Sub-Driver
U.S. incarcerates more than any other nation: report Thu Feb 28, 2008 7:20pm EST
By James Vicini
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world and for the first time in the nation's history, more than one in every 100 American adults is confined in a prison or jail, according to a report released on Thursday.
The report by the Pew Center on the States said the American penal system held more than 2.3 million adults at the start of the year.
The far more populous nation of China ranked second with 1.5 million behind bars, with Russia a distant third with 890,000 inmates.
"Beyond the sheer number of inmates, America also is the global leader in the rate at which it incarcerates its citizenry, outpacing nations like South Africa and Iran," according to the report.
Tough sentencing laws, record numbers of drug offenders and high crime rates have contributed to the United States having the largest prison population and the highest rate of incarceration in the world, criminal justice experts say.
The latest report tracked similar findings on the U.S. prison population by the Justice Department and various private groups. A report in November by a criminal justice research group found the number of people in U.S. prison had risen eight-fold since 1970.
The new report said that the national prison population has nearly tripled between 1987 and 2007.
"The number of people behind bars in the United States continued to climb in 2007, saddling cash-strapped states with soaring costs they can ill afford and failing to have a clear impact either on recidivism or overall crime," it said.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The land of the free and the home of the brave.
As far as I can see, Americans are better off with most of the criminals inside prison, unlike other countries where they roam the streets... or government buildings.
>> So what’s your point?????
Well, it’s the Pee-Yew Foundation, so their point must be “America bad, rest of world good!”.
They buried the lead, though. “Higher crime rates” is the reason. Freedom is not well-suited for the irresponsible.
Just lock everyone up and then there will be no crime and health care for all!
...nation of meth addicts. It’s a real problem with teachers, security guards and Homeland Security employees around here.
We’re number 1.
Eat your heart out, China.
...nation of meth addicts. Its a real problem with teachers, security guards and Homeland Security employees around here.The meth epidemic is ridiculous. I've been some places where the entire town is fat people and meth addicts. Crazy.
yep I wondered that too. As long as we’re not locking up political prisoners or others who don’t belong there, why is this news? They mention high crime rates as contributing to the level of incarceration. Ok, sounds like cause and effect, then. Commit the crime and do the time.
Shouldn’t living in North Korea or Cuba count as being incarcerated?
End the stupid WOD
I have heard that illegal aliens in federal and state prisons compose anywhere from 29% to 40% of the population.
It just shows the discontent in this nation, obviously Americans conversion to liberalism, is leading to poverty, which leads to civil disorder.

...is the United States Code. I can pretty much guarantee if you look through the code hard enough you could find some reason to put anyone in prison, including Mother Teresa.
No it shows we’re in desperate need of CHANGE and HOPE! Or was it HOPE and CHANGE??(sic..I can’t keep them straight.)
Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
And piss on the victims, fa la la!!!!!
right, but liberals promise hope and change as well. we need to repent and start fearing God again. unfortunately that isn’t going to happen for some Americans and big government only pisses people off.
you hit the nail on the head.
Marion Jones, the Enron guys, Worldcom guys...everyone is in jail.
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