Come on, America! 1 in 99 in prison? You can do better than that! All you have to do is support Bush and Congress in their privacy ravaging legislation because you just know that once put into place to hunt terrorists it will be used to root out potential criminals and thought-crime violators… all to make us safer. Let’s get cracking some heads and push this to 1 in 50!
Remember, imprisoning an evil marijuana farmer a day keeps the economy rolling with new prison construction contracts and jobs for guards!
1 In Every 99 Americans Now Behind Bars
Don’t ask the U.S. prison system if this is indeed “the land of the free.”
For the first time in history, more than one in every 100 American adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report tracking the surge in inmate population.
The report, released Thursday by the Pew Center on the States, said the 50 states spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending, the report said.
Using updated state-by-state data, the report said 2,319,258 adults were held in U.S. prisons or jails at the start of 2008 — one out of every 99.1 adults, and more than any other country in the world.
By contrast, in mid 2002 the ratio was 1 in 142, with the prison population surpassing 2 million for the first time.
The steadily growing inmate population “is saddling cash-strapped states with soaring costs they can ill afford and failing to have a clear impact either on recidivism or overall crime,” said the report.
#29–Pussy Patrick==you are right on the jail issue–I wrapped you in with Angus by error.
But on the DUI–YOU might be unsafe driving after two beers, but most people over 70 pounds can drive quite well. In fact, several studies show an increase in driving skills as the brain is not distracted by irrelevant stimuli. Now–blood alcohol of .12–sure. .06==a statutory crime unrelated to actually behavior.
#29 No prob. I’m cranky today.
When I say “DUI” I mean clinically impaired. Judgment of that would require testing at time of arrest. I’m not interested in jail for a 200 lbs guy after a beer. Only for people who would willingly endanger innocent lives. I don’t think anyone should be in jail for non-violent offenses.
If you evade taxes you aren’t physically endangering someone. You know what I mean.
#32–Patrick==gee, I guess I am too? Is it Friday?—omg, yes.
Well, one issue might be that dui is VERY defined and imposes liability regardless of any other facts.
If you want to jail people who are drunk off their asses, why then I would agree.
Well, “Getting Tough on Crime” does have it’s costs – how far will the taxpayers go ??? Making more and more things criminal – pot, for example, mean more and more cells are required, so the “War on This or That” becomes a sinkhole for taxes, just like the Pentagon !!! What a country !!!
#33
The law as written doesn’t distinguish who is truly “drunk”. That does need fixing.
I don’t view punishment by imprisonment as needed or desirable. Imprisonment should only be used to protect society from dangerous people. Have a good weekend.
One of the things about DUI is the problem of our modern society requiring most of us to drive everywhere. In the old days, (still true in Europe), one could have a number of beers and stagger home a few blocks, or hop on a bus for five minutes. Nowadays the dingbat planners have segregated the housing areas from the pub areas, so in order to go out for a drink, someone has to be the designated driver. It would have been simpler to have a more pedestrian / transit friendly urban design, and voila, less DUI.
#22 – Why shouldn’t all first offense DUI’s be put in jail for say 6 months??
Why not indeed?
We slap DUI’s on the wrist (unless the driver is poor, a minority, or both), but DUI isn’t any different to me than attempted murder (except that the driver doesn’t know who his victim is going to turn out to be).
6 months isn’t close to enough.
#31 – But on the DUI–YOU might be unsafe driving after two beers, but most people over 70 pounds can drive quite well.
After you scrape the remains of enough innocent victims off of windshields, you start thinking, maybe those who drink should take a cab.
It’s a pretty simple goddamn rule. If you drink, don’t drive. Period. If you are too stupid or too selfish to follow so simple a rule, then maybe you needed prison anyway.
We all should be aware by now that people in prison aren’t being reformed. Simply look at the recidivism. Yet there is still a puritanical majority that feels safer by locking non-violent offenders in boxes rather than providing care, sympathy and treatment. Mark my words, one day these offenders will released and be back on your street. Let us all hope that the prison system will teach them forgiveness.
Our town built a new jail three years ago. went from 200 to 600 beds. It was full in twenty months. It appears there is no limit to criminals.
#31, bobbo,
In fact, several studies show an increase in driving skills as the brain is not distracted by irrelevant stimuli.
Every study I am aware show that alcohol is a CNS depressant, not a stimuli. If you have any studies showing otherwise, I’d love to see them. All CNS depressants slow down the thinking and reaction time of the brain.
The second point, which you already alluded to is WHEN is someone incapable of driving. Since the answer varies by each individual then the best method is through a blanket cut-off for everyone. Thus most jurisdictions have put in place a standard cut-off point, usually 0.8.
This is one of the points I made earlier that I am also guilty of. I want serious punishment for DUIs. Regardless of the individual circumstances. I would also be in favor of divergence programs that work and have teeth.
Americans are just jailbirds, what can you say.
We’re a nation built on thievery and fraud. I saw a TV show where the cops leave a parked car with the keys in the ignition and arrest whoever steals it. They only have to wait a few minutes to get the perp, thats just sad. They’ve done experiments with similar scenario in other countries, and even in poor nations like Brazil they had a hard time finding people who would steal the car. Some would even close the hood and windows so the car doesn’t get wet from the rain.
Here in the USA if your car is not locked tight, its GONE!
#41 “and even in poor nations like Brazil they had a hard time finding people who would steal the car.”
ROLF! Walk the streets of Rio one night. Odds are you’ll end up minus a wallet & with a couple additional holes.