America The Penal Colony - 1 Out of Every 75 Men are in Prison

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
5-27-2004 1 of Every 75 U.S. Men in Prison

America's inmate population grew by 2.9 percent last year, to almost 2.1 million people, with one of every 75 men living in prison or jail.

The nation's incarceration rate tops the world...

Attorney General John Ashcroft said the report shows the success of efforts to take hard-core criminals off the streets.

"It is no accident that violent crime is at a 30-year low while prison population is up," Ashcroft said. "Violent and recidivist criminals are getting tough sentences while law-abiding Americans are enjoying unprecedented safety."
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Of course A$$croft would be happy. :roll:

Are we truly safer???
 

earthman

Golden Member
Oct 16, 1999
1,653
0
71
Why does this come as a shock? Do people not realize this? We keep hearing about all these "repressive" countries, yet its this one that does the most locking up.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
From what I've seen of data from bookings from various county jails is that drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia top the list. And of those, many are repeat offenders.
 

Kappo

Platinum Member
Aug 18, 2000
2,381
0
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Originally posted by: conjur
From what I've seen of data from bookings from various county jails is that drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia top the list. And of those, many are repeat offenders.

That isn't a bad thing ;) I reported the herion dealers that were at the end of my street. Guess what? My street now doesnt have any pushers at the end of it now. :D

I think it is awesome that we lock up people that break the law. Granted, there is a law for everything, which is stupid and makes it MUCH easier to not pass go.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
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Oh, I agree. But looking to the source of why so many people look to drugs as some sort of answer or quick fix would benefit this country. Think of the productivity we're losing due to people wasting their lives for a meth or crack high.
 

MAW1082

Senior member
Jun 17, 2003
510
7
81
Some countries don't even have prisons. We should be gracious that we have the freedom to be in prison. Somebody in Zambabwe might not have as easy of a time getting in prison than someone in the United States would. So be thankful for what you've got.
 

Leon

Platinum Member
Nov 14, 1999
2,215
4
81
Are we truly safer???

As the case with majority of your posts, we are missing your proposed solution. What should we do? Let em loose? Decrease sentence for murder to 15 years (aka Germany)? Legalize all drugs?

Please, enlighten us.

Leon
 

Bowmaster

Senior member
Mar 11, 2002
523
0
0
Attorney General John Ashcroft said the report shows the success of efforts to take hard-core criminals off the streets.

From what I've seen of data from bookings from various county jails is that drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia top the list. And of those, many are repeat offenders.

To their way of thinking, any use of drugs - well, only before you "get saved" or are a neocon mouthpiece - is high treason and deserves a LONG stint in prison. After all, all of that drug money directly funds terrorists.

Remember kids - don't do drugs, mkay?
 

Steeplerot

Lifer
Mar 29, 2004
13,051
6
81
Jails are big buisness -slave labor
Now that dot com is over prison labor is biggest growing industry.
Land of the free.
I'd rather not see more crime but some good old fashioned american civil disobediance would be great.
 

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
Fine, let 'em out for all I care. The hardcore criminal set doesn't live in the nicer suburbs where us Libertarians (and Republicans) live, they live in the cities along with all you liberals. Let them litter your streets with gang violence, used condoms, and drug peraphenalia if that makes you feel better that we'll no longer be locking up so many folks. Not like I care to visit your screwed up city environment anyway.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Nah...your type just robs money from thousands and thousands of people thru scams and cooking the books, leaving thousands with no retirement savings.

Oh, and they invade sovereign nations with no justification, too.
 

Wheezer

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
6,731
1
81
here's and idea...quit breaking the fvcking law.

I know, I know it's a bit out there on the fringe, but it *might* work
 

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
Nah...your type just robs money from thousands and thousands of people thru scams and cooking the books, leaving thousands with no retirement savings.

Oh, and they invade sovereign nations with no justification, too.

Yep, I even personally built a Super WalMart in your city the other day, paving over some endangered species just for fun, knowing how much that store (and Starbucks) terrify you city folk so badly. I also personally laid off several thousand workers. Then after lunch, I raised the price of medicines for poor senior citizens and forced them into eathing Alpo for the rest of the month since they couldn't afford the $1 menu items at Mickey D's. I'm also the person responsible for cancelling Seinfeld. I'm just an evil bastard like that.
 

Infohawk

Lifer
Jan 12, 2002
17,844
1
0
I agree in part with some of the conservative posters: locking up people isn't a bad thing. Small crimes and drug crimes create misery and lead to larger crimes. These people need to be locked up.

Where I disagree with conservatives is with prevention. We need to stop this stuff from happening. We could lower the crime rate if we provide children with more support and education. The high incarceration rate demonstrates our failure to use preventive measures to combat criminality.
 

MovingTarget

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2003
9,002
115
106
Originally posted by: Infohawk
I agree in part with some of the conservative posters: locking up people isn't a bad thing. Small crimes and drug crimes create misery and lead to larger crimes. These people need to be locked up.

Where I disagree with conservatives is with prevention. We need to stop this stuff from happening. We could lower the crime rate if we provide children with more support and education. The high incarceration rate demonstrates our failure to use preventive measures to combat criminality.


I couldn't have said it better myself, Infohawk. Why do these two methods of dealing with crime (prevention/long term incarceration for convicted felons) have to be mutually exclusive? A two pronged approach like you mention would be even more effective. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, even though the cure is necessary as well at times.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: MovingTarget
Originally posted by: Infohawk
I agree in part with some of the conservative posters: locking up people isn't a bad thing. Small crimes and drug crimes create misery and lead to larger crimes. These people need to be locked up.

Where I disagree with conservatives is with prevention. We need to stop this stuff from happening. We could lower the crime rate if we provide children with more support and education. The high incarceration rate demonstrates our failure to use preventive measures to combat criminality.


I couldn't have said it better myself, Infohawk. Why do these two methods of dealing with crime (prevention/long term incarceration for convicted felons) have to be mutually exclusive? A two pronged approach like you mention would be even more effective. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, even though the cure is necessary as well at times.

Can't make any money that way. Like a previous poster said, Jailing is BIG Business and getting bigger everyday.

They just passed a new higher Tax here in my local County to build a HUGE Jail to house thousands. Ironically they will be jailing thousands of the what was "illegal" immigrants straight from Mexico that we no longer ship any back to Mexico instead they will be fed, bathed and clothed by the Courtesy of a huge facilty paid by those still left in the system that still do pay taxes.
 

B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
2,168
1
0
Originally posted by: Leon
Are we truly safer???

As the case with majority of your posts, we are missing your proposed solution. What should we do? Let em loose? Decrease sentence for murder to 15 years (aka Germany)? Legalize all drugs?

Please, enlighten us.

Leon


Germany does not have a sentence for murder of 15 years. However, it is true that murderers can apply for parole after 15 years and are realesed on average after around 20 years. But we have an entirely different justice system. While your system relies on revenge and punishment - ours on rehabilitation.
 

Crimson

Banned
Oct 11, 1999
3,809
0
0
Originally posted by: Infohawk
I agree in part with some of the conservative posters: locking up people isn't a bad thing. Small crimes and drug crimes create misery and lead to larger crimes. These people need to be locked up.

Where I disagree with conservatives is with prevention. We need to stop this stuff from happening. We could lower the crime rate if we provide children with more support and education. The high incarceration rate demonstrates our failure to use preventive measures to combat criminality.

We may have a chance with you yet Infopigeon.. ;)