NATION'S PRISON POPULATION INCREASING One in every 32 adults imprisoned, on parole or probation

MichNews ^ | 11/15/2004 | Jim Kouri, CPP

[RepCath]

America's combined federal, state and local adult correctional population reached a new record of almost 6.9 million men and women last year, an increase of 130,700 people since December 31, 2002, according to the US Justice Department.

The correctional population of 6,889,800 includes people incarcerated in prisons and jails as well as those on probation and parole. In calendar year 2003, 1,387,269 adults were incarcerated in federal and state prisons and 691,301 inmates served time in local jails. And as of December 31, 2003, 4,073,987 adults were on probation - a period of supervision in the community following a conviction - and 774,588 on parole - a period of conditional supervised release following a prison term.

[frog_jerk_2004]

The banging of the drum happened as soon as Ohio was in the bag for BUSH.

[BritishBulldog]

3% ?

Really? That's astonishing.

Is it easy to get banged up stateside then?

Over here they only seem to jail sex cases and people who shoot burglars.

[Time is now]

Too bad you couldn't do something about that guy hanging in the plastic box all those weeks...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I don't think so. Bet most of the newbies are druggies.

[dead]

All that is not mandatory is prohibited.

[theFIRMbss]

>The breakdown in is the full article. Still, doesn't say ...

"As of last December 31,
more than half of the probationers were white,
30 percent were black,
12 percent were Latino and
2 percent were of other races."

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The US Population by Race and Ethnicity
Year 2000, Projected Figures

[escapefromboston]

I have always heard it was 25-30% of prision population are illegals.

[Dalite]

Two viewpoints to ponder:

1. We are the only country in which governance expends 99% of it's resources making criminals out of 100% of it's population (remember, government is the least efficient "business" is all aspects except spending money)

2. There 3 types of Liars; Liars, Damn Liars and Statisticians

[demolishhollywood]

Get the comfort out of our prisons and the cost won't be so bad. Bread, water, a bed, and a toilet. That's all they should get. That combined with more executions and the populous would save tons of tax money, and the streets would be safer.

[Maceman]

"STOP BREAKING THE LAW, A**HOLE!!"

[BritishBulldog]

"Too bad you couldn't do something about that guy hanging in the plastic box all those weeks..."

Yeah, that WAS criminal that was.

[Quick1]

Considering that many, many people are in jail for simple possession of marijuana, perhaps some laws need changing so that we can make more room and spend more enforcement time and money on REAL criminals.

[RobRoy]

Then there is "dead beat dads."

[eagle11]

That means 96.9% of us are law-abiding citizens.

[JesseJane]

Good pie chart... but still, when I see Latino, it doesn't say if they are illegals aliens or not. Obviously we all know there are more Mexican illegals here than from elsewhere. Although the numbers of OTM's have increased dramatically in the last two years.

[Mjaye]

Or you could state it: 31 out of 32 adults not a criminal.................

Unfortunately, many people are only caught for a small number of the crimes they commit, and others seem to escape getting caught completely. So 31 of 32 is probably too optimistic. Some people are simply better at being crooks than others, and some are luckier. Of course their luck may run out, and it is often not be the justice system that gets them.

[JesseJane]

I'm in CA, and I *think* the number is higher... but rather than put my neck on the block, I'd truly like some hard data. Wonder where we could find that?

[Porterville]

More inventory, more federal and state taxes for wastelands.

[Dead Corpse]

Yep. I've got one Vicodin left over from my recent dental work. I better get rid of it soon before I cross some statute of limitations and become a felon and my house subject to seziure.

1 in 32? We can do better than that. I know! Let's pass MORE LAWS!!!! If we just keep making everything illegal, we should be able to get those numbers to at least 1 in 5.

[SAJ]

In 1957, Ayn Rand described the existing/intended legal system perfectly, as per Ferris' speech (p 411, Pocket Books edition):

" 'Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?' said Dr. Ferris. 'We want them broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against -- then you’ll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We’re after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you’d better get wise to it. There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted -- and you create a nation of law-breakers -- and then you cash in on guilt. Now, that’s the system, Mr. Rearden, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.' "