America's Prison Problem

America's Prison Problem

2012, Crime  -   565 Comments
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Ratings: 6.32/10 from 37 users.

America's Prison ProblemThe US locks up more people than any other country in the world, spending over $80 billion each year to keep some two million prisoners behind bars.

Over the past three decades, tough sentencing laws have contributed to a doubling of the country's prison population, with laws like the 'Three Strikes and You're Out' mandating life sentences for a wide range of crimes.

Why does the US put so many people behind bars and what lies behind California's new push for leniency? But a clear sign that Americans are rethinking crime and punishment is a voter's initiative on California's November ballot called Proposition 36 that seeks to reform the state's three-strikes law.

Some 27 states have three-strikes laws patterned after California's version, which was one of the first to be enacted in the country.

Activists who are campaigning to change the three-strikes law in California are also trying to raise awareness about conditions inside prisons. They are targeting the use of special security units at maximum security prisons.

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Ava
Ava
8 years ago

Excellent documentary very informative.

Alvin R Lenford Sr.
Alvin R Lenford Sr.
10 years ago

It saddens me that people can take sides with a system who, when it boils down to it, cares nothing about human life, health or happiness, unless it's their own. Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money, That is the major objective! I certainly agree with incarcerating people who break the law, and that only depends upon the crime committed. Minor and petty offenses that have nothing to do with violence should not draw out ten fifteen years of lock-up, I don't care if I have ten strikes. Americas solution is to lock up everyone who violates the law. From minor offenders to major offenders. Whether you are a juvenile or a grown person. This is the only way to rid society of these evils. Every incarcerated head is worth MONEY! This is utterly rediculous. Community safety is of course important, and I do agree that it is necessary to have a sense of security in the neighborhood. But I'll tell you this, community safety, when compared to world safety, is a far more pressing issue.

There are greater evils at work in this nation. We are dogged and taken advantage of every day by those criminals who run wall street, and the BIG BANKS who are leading this country to a third world war! When Martial Law is declared across this land, and the Fema Camp doors are opened wide for all of us who fight against an oppressive system whose total agenda is to demean, control and diminish the freedoms that we have fought long and hard to attain, then the blindfolds will fall off of our decieved and misled eyes and we will see what the hidden agendas really are. Then, of course, it will be too late.

As a side note, there are more blacks locked up inside these prisons than any other race. Hmm, I wonder what that is all about?

ChefBryn
ChefBryn
11 years ago

Its not rocket science. Prison's make money. Bet the Judges are on fantastic bonus scheme's

watmiwori
watmiwori
11 years ago

NO crime is minor or "petty" to the victim. Being caught three times is a
strong indication of habitual criminal behaviour; I have to wonder how
many times a third-striker was _not_ caught.... I marvel that inmates and their bleeding heart advocates have not considered a simple sol-
ution to prison overcrowding and nastiness: if you don't like prison,
don't keep doing stuff to get thrown back in! Prisons are _supposed_ to
be nasty and unpleasant -- you're not supposed to like them!

Tasm
Tasm
11 years ago

Crime pays, even more so if they get no prison time.

pjle
pjle
11 years ago

How Ironic that Al Jazeera will go beyond the borders to produce this doc.Certainly no one will disagree about the violent thugs murderers and especially the rape hounds.You ask any person on the street about RAPE and I will guarantee they will say lock them away.Murder.Drive buy shootings,robbery with violence is and always will be the biggest fear factor for just about every human but being put away for life for stealing a car jack or a slice of bread or pizza.That is a crime in itself to portray someone as a criminal when poverty hunger are the reasons for these unlucky many.I certainly don't hear about those Wall Street crooks who bankrupted and entire nation only to have their cases delayed for years while they live in the most well protected homes and amount of fortunes and lives they ruined only to scoff at some poor b*stard who wants his life savings back.Something is so sadly wrong and the injustice done here certainly is not justice to those who are greedy and protected from that jail cell because they wear a suit.The punishment fits the crime.Not the money prevents the time GOOD DOC.

Morthund
Morthund
11 years ago

As school-kids in Australia, we were shocked to learn that many poverty stricken Britains were sent to that old penal colony back in the 1800's for the crime of only stealing a loaf of bread.
Later on, I read that even way before THAT, how Aristotile had proposed that history is cyclic... and boy oh boy was he right

lex lexich
lex lexich
11 years ago

i would say that it's just good business sending people in prison for a loooong time, of course -tax payers collect the bill

lex lexich
lex lexich
11 years ago

comparison : usa 758 inmates per 100k ppl
eu 123 inmates per 100k ppl
my 'state' 85 inmates per 100k ppl
iceland 39 inmates per 100k ppl

Frank Matthews
Frank Matthews
11 years ago

It's a joke the 3 strike law for these guys that are in jail for petty non violent crimes I don't get how they can do that to people that are not killing murdering raping kidnapping or robbing anyone that's just crazy

Frank Matthews
Frank Matthews
11 years ago

Most of the people are there because of drugs what I don't get is why the government makes the rules on what you can do to your own body if someone wants to do drugs that should be there choice as long as they are not robbing murdering raping people it's supposed to be a free country but yet the government can tells us what we can and can't do to our bodys and mind if all the people that have a drug charge came out of jail and prisons there would be tons of room to put real criminals away

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

I still cannot understand why some vigorously defend these monsters from receiving the death penalty.

Let's face it; the reality is that people all over the world die every day for whatever reason and each of us barely bat an eyelid. Naturally, the death of people we do not know hardly affects us.
So why defend a monster you do not even know, especially given the
cold-hearted callousness shown to his victims?
While it may be noble to put faith in humanity by promoting ideals such as mercy, forgiveness, compassion and understanding; let's be honest and stop pretending that many humans don't suck (obviously the ones who write comments on TDF are excluded!).

robertallen1
robertallen1
11 years ago

You are when you state that the problem lies with society.

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

over the edge

"anytime an innocent person is killed on purpose by his/her government it is wrong"

Did I suggest otherwise?

I merely proposed that accidents/mistakes can occur, even in the judicial process unfortunately.

I find people like Breivik digusting; as well as those who defend his right to live. I guess that "lets me know what kind of person you are."

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

over the edge

Innocent people die every day on the roads-should we ban cars?
It's the world we live in- risk is inherent.
If we believe capital punishment is morally correct for certain people, then we should retain it, not discard it for fear of making a mistake.

over the edge
over the edge
11 years ago

an argument can be made for the death penalty for specific cases (i don't agree but a case can be made). until someone can develop a system that never makes mistakes and can guarantee an innocent will not be killed the rest is irrelevant to me. also as a society we should try to be responsible for each other. we the "civilized" should act that way and not resort to revenge and "eye for an eye". to paraphrase: you can judge a society by how it treats the least of its members. not sure who originally said it

Kuntao Kunaya
Kuntao Kunaya
11 years ago

And to show you my research as I do it all day, The Pelican Bay Warden admits that that prison is the last stop for people who have badly hurt or murdered other inmates! THat their severe rules are the last stop on a bus with nowhere else to go with these particular "kind" of violent men. That... the human rights people don't want you to hear! Also, Pelican Bay is considered the Harvard of Prisons. It is the greatest badge of Honor as a criminal to be there. I heard it from many prisoners. In fact your chances of being given "sweet" jobs in a gang or more power goes way up if you live thru Pelican Bay. I spend 1/2 my life researching what will bring some balance into the US prison system.I dont agree 3 strikes is the best thing. But if it will keep my daughters safer....... As someone who has taken many course given by police officers about safety, I can say most people have no idea how many people in prison have no conscience, no soul almost, no remorse, no regret. And as several cops said to me " There are many people in this world that would take a kitchen knife and while talking to you calmly in the middle of the street, would gut you like an animal with that knife, severing all your intestines and watching the steam come out of your stomach and your Intestines fall to the ground and just walk away as if they just ate a snickers bar. Its too late IMHO to ever,ever rehabilitate anyone like that. Sadly we missed the chance to help him in his childhood. Do any of you agree with me that some people are either born bad thru genetics, or...pass a certain point where they cannot change. Why are there so many martial arts classes and gun shops popping up all over America. We are a nation in fear! Racist or not. Bigotry or not, we have a right to live without fear. Yes ,even bigots, and lazy people, homeless people and anyone who doesn't hurt others.
Do we give Wardens and guards regular lie detector tests? Do we even give prisoners lie detector tests? Do we give policemen lie detector tests? Why not? It should be a mandatory part of these type of jobs. Yuh think??????

Kuntao Kunaya
Kuntao Kunaya
11 years ago

I have a request for all of you. Lets vote on this with our common sense, and not our hearts. Weall have suffered the horror of loving another because we let our heart make that decision. Ok, we have over 2 million people in prison. Who makes up the vast majority of them? Well, those same people are not only costing us 80 billion a year,(or is it 800) but not one person on this thread can tel me that since the advent of civil rights, can anyone-black,white,hispanic or asian, walk the streets any safer nor are we happier as a species. In fact when you reward someone for good behavior with a rediculous differential in lifestyle, such as rewarding a failing student to one who now passes and gets C's with unlimited rights, a new car, affirmative action,welfare,food stamps the right to prey on each other,and get reduced sentences because of race it would not be common sense but it would also backfire on the giver because it would not be appreciated! Freebies and rewards far in excess of the effort and accomplishment sachieved would be expected.Free speech is gone. A white person can not dare say on public tv how threatened he/she feels living with or near people of color. You are labeled a racist! Now.....in the 40 years since America has broken its back to make things more fair, have you ever once heard any person of color ever say thank you. Thank you to Abe Lincoln for giving his life, thank you "NOW" for all the charities that throw by the bucketfull, billions of dollars in aide to Africa,and most african-americans here cannot name 2 AFRICAN countries. We had affirmative action giving away free education and grants for God knows what, and our gang problem has increased 20 fold or more since civil rights. Still no thank you.And please dont tell me about the injustices of the LA riots. Thats dead and gone. New era, new technologies, new chances...for all! Considering what a black person faces in opportunity if they went back to Africa now, yes...just say thank you! Imagine a beautiful world where when black people moved onto your block and you really wanted to go "Great, lets go over with a pie and introduce ourselves." I prayed for that day as a kid. I was around when MLK gave his I had a dream speach. It died....still a dream! But this time, not thru any fault of white,asian or middle class America. And prison.........

The bottom line: If a man of any race goes to prison, who is willing to bet that it will not be someone his own race that will sexuallly assault him or extort him? Bottm line: People of color can walk in most places and feel safer than in their own neighborhoods, but we cannot walk ion a neighborhood of color at night and LIVE...let alone feel comfortable. But is this racist if it is true.Ever really dangerous bully when I went to school 40 years ago was never white. We didnt carry guns or knives. The others did. Bottom line: Affirmative action: Not only was there very little action taken with the free money, but very little of the action was affirmative. Gangland ,the documentary shows that almost all the money we sent to New Orleans from Huriicane Katrina was "given to people who never had that much money in their hands before, and created an explosion of drug selling,violence and crime. Say "Thank You" anyone. Look at the words a person uses and I will show you their destiny. Certain people do not believe in counseling,12 step programs, using words like closure, introspection, clarity,psychosomatic, just any kinds of words that show the ability for introspection. Carl Jung said in 1909 "I think they are very nice people but they dont seem to have any capacity for introspection." That was after 2 weeks in this country. "Warriors who have no one to fight will create an enemy."-Unknown Black historian from History Channel. Make no mistake, I love Opran, Condie Rice, Michelle obama is as classy as they get, but the whole does not come close to equaling its parts. Question: In NYC, if you heard that 2 female employees stabbed to death a 3rd one, would you have any doubt what race the perps were? Now I have dated and wooed 20 black women living in the USA from Africa. Not one has said they were grateful to be here. But they point out our faults fast enough.

I offer proof from professional documentaries made from the History Chaennel and more about gang life and prisons, and all I can say is, if you "still" believe in equal treatment WITHOUT a person showing equally civil behavior, you deserve what you will get. Go to Netflix and for $8.00 a month you can watch streaming movies and even get a free trial. Watch,GANGLAND,LOCKDOWN,LOCKUP,American Gangster and if you dont start wondering "when" martial law or anarchy rules the USA, you are crazy.When I see white teen girls getting into fights, they are almost always around black girls. It is never the other way around where white girls get black girls fighting. Sadly the people I feel worst for are black women who bare the shame of being used and abused like a sex blow up doll especially by younger men and they just suck it up and dont complain or think of dating outside their race. Heres some things from YOU TUBE:Teens Arrested for gang rape and forcing mother to have sex with her son ! -The rest you can get just by putting in "Gangland" or" gang crime" in the you tube search box. THE COMMENTS ARE SCARIER THAN THE VIDEOS! I see comments where people of color call each other MF'S MORE THAN ANY OTHER WORD! The women call each other ho's. And I hear talk of how America will belong to the blacks very soon. Did I hear "Thank you" anyone. Yes terrible things were done. Long agao and far away. lets live with today. We have nothing to apologize for. But ever mother of color who lost a child because of a stray bullet, as Jesse Jackson once said..."No race has done more to desroy itself than Blacks."
You will never leave your door open again. LOOK AT the threads pertaining to black issues. You can tell just by their usernames and vulgar disgusting language who they are before ever viewing the screen. I for one am in favor of equal rights.......IF EQUAL BEHAVIOR IS FIRST PROVEN!!!! It never has,and never will. Whats sad is while so many of you believe me to be a racist, I am only talking about the way I raised my own daughters. I give you love first. If you dont give me respect and love back, you now have to "EARN" yes.... "earn" it. Yet, I am the first to say, that a black man should be given the dignity to do his time if he did the crime. Not to be extorted, gang raped and constantly in fear for his life. This was never like that in the 60's when most prisons were filled with whites. So.....tell me, have any of you ever gotten a thank you? Or seen one written in the newspaper. Its time for affirmative action to stop as nothing affirmative is taking place and the only actions that are being done are making us into a 3rd world country. We must teach blacks that without whites America will fall. Look on you tube and see how many blacks call us "cracka" an educated black man "Uncle Tom" and more vulgarity than God knows what. I DON'T WANT MY KIDS LIVING IN A VULGAR WORLD. Bottom line. And we have lost our right to free speech so we dont offend a minority, and we have to walk in fear on top of that. Give me a break! And why we dont have all prisons set up as self sustaining entities where prisoners work for money to pay for their upkeep, they are given a human wage, and half the money goes back to the prison, and half goes into a 401k which they would never do on their own and gives them a good start when they leave prison.My research shows that we could cut prison recidivism by 33% at minimum, if we took away their excuse," I had to kill in order to survive." Men being released deserve a stake and a chance which if you give them no money we will only be housing them at 40k per year all over again. Better to give them work, a trade,some money to get set up with and now....they really DO have better choices. This is black and white. Lets fix this broken prison system. Govt thought privatizing prisons would be the answer, it isnt. But we still need the brilliant minds out there in private sector for advice. Hire them! They can make prisons as a business work in 2 months. I often say to haters of white that white people invented Google, Yhaoo, You tube, facebook and all the social tools the richest white people in the world never had access to until now. Is there a thank you? No! They want more. Always more. When will it be enough?

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

Epicurus
You argued that life is sacred and that even the life of a vile,disgusting crim should not be taken. Then you seemed to suggest that you had no problem with the destruction of a fetus; an innocent human life in the making.

Personally, I believe that abortion is murder in a moral sense and thus I oppose it. Yet I do not oppose the murder of a criminal in certain circumstances.

EACH of our views could be seen to be a contradiction.
As you said, "you have justifications for your positions and i have mine. both are based on subjective morals."

Abamovich
Abamovich
11 years ago

I remember the uproar when Midnight Express came out and the American got 30 years for a small amount of drugs for personal use in Turkey, oh the horror. That would never happen in a civilised country like America. That was back in the 70s.

Now Americans are locking their own citizens up, not for 30 years but for life for lesser crimes.

The US is a land of contradictions indeed.

slpsa
slpsa
11 years ago

From my seat, I see that the death penalty where it exists, has not curbed violent crimes whatsoever. If crime stats in the US are any indicator, it seems to me it has gotten worse. The deterrent so many are fond of has accomplished zilch, unless my eyes deceive me. If even one person has been wrongfully executed, which we know has happened, numerous times, my morals suggest it needs another look at what the encompassing criteria for conviction and summary execution entails. The other side of that coin is that an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, does have its merits. There are cultures and countries that have extremely low crime rates because they subscribe to that mantra.

I am on the fence with this one. I do not like killing any living creature, no matter the reason, but as someone said so famously. Some people just need to be killed. The whole idea of prisons for profit however, which is the topic here to be begin with, leaves a really foul taste in my mouth. Open to abuse and corruption at the highest levels. Wrong on many levels of my moral compass, I could never justify in my mind, having private companies make huge profit, from caging human beings for any variety of petty or serious crimes.

dewflirt
dewflirt
11 years ago

You should check out deathpenaltyinfo. org under botched executions. Whether you care or not for the feelings of the accused, for those watching it must be a harrowing experience. That humane and painless lethal injection is anything but. There is also a doc, How to Kill a Human Being. Very disturbing, for me anyway. There are other ways to do it, ways less awful for all involved. There was a case of an execution being delayed because a man tried to take to take his own life before his execution. They saved him so they could kill him their own way. What were they so worried about? That his death wouldn't be awful enough? That they wouldn't have the satisfaction of watching him die? There are emotions involved in every aspect of this subject, to pretend there aren't is silly, if it was that way they would be put to death immediately their trial was over or left to rot in jail and forgotten about. If you enjoy seeing people killed, for any reason, you are no less wrong than a murderer. What a way to get your jollies :(

oQ
oQ
11 years ago

election brake boys?
1i

slpsa
slpsa
11 years ago

Hi guys...( nom nom nom) just having my tea and watching you two have a go. For days on end. Heh. I like it. Please, do carry on lads. I do love a good pissin match. Seems to me you are both equally loaded with intellect. Who's gonna blink first? Any bets?

Epicurus
Epicurus
11 years ago

As long as human justice remains fallible, the risk of executing the innocent can never be eliminated.

The death penalty:
-denies the possibility of rehabilitation and reconciliation.

-promotes simplistic responses to complex human problems, rather than pursuing explanations that could inform positive strategies.

-prolongs the suffering of the murder victim’s family, and extends that suffering to the loved ones of the condemned prisoner.

-diverts resources and energy that could be better used to work against violent crime and assist those affected by it.

-is a symptom of a culture of violence, not a solution to it. It is an affront to human dignity.

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

Vlatko

I reproduced that survey statistic to support my use of the word "many" since you queried it.

When you say "countries are abolishing death penalty at accelerating rate" , I have to query this because as I previously stated,
the 4 highest populated nations in the world; namely China, U.S. India and Indonesia still retain the death penalty.
Also consider that China, India and Indonesia are fast becoming economic powerhouses. European countries who became part of the European Union had to drop capital punishment.

Who cares what the smaller nations are doing?
Look at the leaders for a meaningful guide.

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

Vlatko,

Some people, like Epicurus, claim we shouldn't murder these guys because it's immoral.
Isn't it also immoral to keep these humans in a cage for 50 years? What if they say sorry and express genuine remorse after 1 year? Shouldn't we release them because of our 'humanity?'

So killing a mass murderer is immoral, but punishing him for the rest of his life is ok?

You tell me....

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

Vlatko,

The Golden Rule is the basis for the modern concept of human rights, in which each individual has a right to just treatment and a reciprocal responsibility to ensure JUSTICE for others.

This doesn't necessarily mean rapists should be raped, molesters should be molestered....you're taking an old view interpretation of the Golden Rule.

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

Vlatko

What you are saying would probably carry more weight 100 years ago.

Globalization has taken place, societies around the world continue to become more modernized as you have acknowledged; the concept of the Golden Rule is known, appreciated and understood all over the world, especially in the context of human rights.

Any reasonable person understands the essence of the Golden Rule.
As for African tribes, religious cults, or swinger groups.....

robertallen1
robertallen1
11 years ago

Why do you use a word as vague as immoral--and talk about playing the emotion card. When it comes to science and religion, that is far from your practice and as a matter of fact, many times you have taken posters to task for using vague terms--is this some double standard of yours?

You say "f*ck the victims family. f*ck the perps family." Well, I say "f*ck the perp."

Joe
Joe
11 years ago

One thing that really bugs me is prison rape jokes. If a late night comedian made a joke about raping a female, that would be the end of his career. But male rape is one long yuckfest. What type of society takes if for granted that incarceration for even petty crimes will include years of sexual brutalization as a matter of course?

Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
11 years ago

All of these guys knew they had two strikes yet they made the decision to continue breaking the law. If there was a 10 strikes law there would still be individuals who kept pushing and exceeding that limit. In my opinion the repeat criminals have nothing to blame but their own decisions and actions.

Sherry Roberts
Sherry Roberts
11 years ago

The 3 strikes law was publicized to the point that I find it nearly impossible to believe these men weren't aware of it at the time of their incarceration (1 of the 3 times it takes to get life). I think it is irresponsible to act as if you weren't informed and now you are hopelessly stuck in prison for life for something so little. You knew the rules.

Their inability to accept that they are in prison because of their own actions shows that they are where they belong.

DigiWongaDude
DigiWongaDude
11 years ago

Any reasonable doubt is not the same as the legal 'beyond reasonable doubt'. With any reasonable doubt, no-one (and I mean no-one) would ever be convicted. One word, vast consequences.

sknb
sknb
11 years ago

If I may sense the temperature of the below debate:

Is it worth it to punish one man who is innocent so that other guilty men are punished?

Are you willing to be that one man?

robertallen1
robertallen1
11 years ago

"So if justice is revenge or quid pro quo, someone steals from me, then I get to take something of theirs, if someone kills my son, I kill their son." It certainly reads like a description of vigilante justice. to me.

robertallen1
robertallen1
11 years ago

I find it interesting that although the primary focus of the documentary was on the fairness of the three strikes law (which I agree needs some revamping due to the inequitable results obtained) almost all of the posts are on the death penalty which was hardly treated.

KsDevil
KsDevil
11 years ago

You can make more money dealing with the effects of the problem than preventing the problem.
All you have to do is create a moralist scare and sell it to the uninformed.

dewflirt
dewflirt
11 years ago

Less fuss when the old bill decide to shoot it out and ask questions later, maybe instant punishment is easier to accept, feels more like justice? I can imagine situations that might drive me to revenge in the heat of the moment, if it involved my kids I'm sure that feeling would last. I do not like executions though, I don't want that decision taken on my behalf. Any why such odd methods? All sorts of machinery between those that push the buttons and those that die, is that an effort to distance distance themselves from the fact that they are killing someone? A strange thing to do when they allow people to watch anyway, rubber-necking at its worst. I almost think it would be fairer all round to take them straight from court and put a bullet in their head, I wonder what reaction that would get. Maybe give the gun to the victims family and let them do as they please? Would it change people's minds if they had to do it themselves? But then you have to be 100% sure you've got the right guy, too often it turns out they haven't. Bad enough that people spend half their lives locked up only to be found innocent, can't give people those years back, even harder to bring them back to life.

Emanouel
Emanouel
11 years ago

ShadowMan

No need to study them.

What is the point when the death penalty does not act as an effective deterrent?

But studies in Texas have shown a modest drop in homicides shortly after an execution has taken place....surprise surprise.

slpsa
slpsa
11 years ago

Prisons for profit is one of those things, most people agree, is open to corruption at the highest level possible. A bad idea from the word go. The already documented and prosecuted crimes are I am sure, but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to abusing this new system. Madness......to be sure.

mjnkhr
mjnkhr
11 years ago

unbelievable...

DigiWongaDude
DigiWongaDude
11 years ago

Your ethical debates on the use of the death penalty, though interesting, miss the deceptive point here: with inequality being higher than anytime since the 1930's, why is violent crime decreasing? The statistics don't fit the models of social behaviour. I should quote a source here...Uhm...Zeitgeist: Moving Forward, should do.

It could be that what we are seeing is a calm-before-the-storm delay affecting the stats. If true, this situation will only get worse for us and better for the prison corps profits. Is there a frenzy of prison construction going on right now? That would be a telling sign.

Or, on the other hand, could it be that locking up so many is actually working to bring the violent crime levels down despite the increase in equality? I would argue that if they shut everyone up by locking them up, any further increase in inequality will be less likely to be opposed. Prison profits will rise. And those who have nothing to fear from the system will feel secure sleeping in the beds at night.

...i.e. nothing to fear but the system itself.

I AM POP SLAG.
I AM POP SLAG.
11 years ago

13 years for nicking a car jack...
25 to life for "instigating a fight"
jeeeeeeeeeez, it would be interesting to know when the private prison contracts were signed...
What an evil country...

I AM POP SLAG.
I AM POP SLAG.
11 years ago

Land of the free?
pull the other one its got bells on...

I AM POP SLAG.
I AM POP SLAG.
11 years ago

The private companies are building more and more prisons and the government guarantee a 98% occupancy rate...
now, i wonder why there are so many people in jail in america...

Caroline Tipler
Caroline Tipler
11 years ago

Well I am the victim of a serious assault which i only survived because my calls for help just before i was beaten and knocked unconscious were heard. I was in A&E for 4 days and suffered brain damage, and couldnt walk without falling for 6 minths.. I would not want to see the person icacerated for it - what i would like is to have him tried and when found guilty for me to meet him in a secure situation and have him answer to me. He should then be placed on a curfew and we can take it from there. I loathe the pathetic arrogant belittling culture in peiosons ... it actually coudlnt be designed any better if the intention was to allienate people! All prisoners should be addressed politely and by their surname. That is to say led by example!

ShadowMan
ShadowMan
11 years ago

....Execution is here, because we think we can't think up anything else to solve the problem!

ShadowMan
ShadowMan
11 years ago

......About the capital punishment in the USA, (and else where too.) How about the ones that got hanged and were later found to be innocent through DNA testing and there are many that have been found innocent too over the years!! Capital punishment is not the answer, finding out why people do these things is. We should be spending big money on finding new technology in understanding the mind and why some people do this, the mind is the key to ALL problems!

Romangabriel123
Romangabriel123
11 years ago

In Oregon they have what they call Measure 11. I work in the juvenile justice filed and have witnessed kids being charged with M-11 for touching a females breast. The DA's don't care about the kids M-11 helps further their careers. They tell people they have successfully prosecuted so many M-11 cases. It's a sick system.