U.S. Incarceration Rates & Prison Statistics Infographic by Prison Path
If you enlarge the image you'll see that Louisiana has by far the most prisoners. Considering that they do not have the most people, the rate of incarceration there is incredible. Yet, they also rank number one in murders and violence. How can this be? The gun-rights fanatics tell us the problem is not with the lack of gun laws but with the fact that we don't keep dangerous people in prison long enough.
Obviously this isn't the case in Louisiana.
It is true that many of those incarcerated shouldn't be there. But the estimate of non-violent drug offenders is only about 25%. Remove them and the US still wears the crown as the most prison-friendly country in the world and Louisiana still holds the state record.
Look at other states with gun laws similar to Louisiana's. That state has problems, but guns are not cause.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed, the state has problems and gun availability is one of them.
DeleteMikeb, to you, gun availability is always a problem. That's why I know what your real goals are.
DeletePlease tell us, what are Mike's "real" goals?
DeleteNo response as usual from Greg. Typical.
Delete"But the estimate of non-violent drug offenders is only about 25%. Remove them and the US still wears the crown as the most prison-friendly country in the world and Louisiana still holds the state record."
ReplyDeleteI believe that the percentage might be a bit over 25% since once in the system, recidivism begins to play a part in the total numbers. We also seem to sentence for longer periods and not make much of an effort to enable them to change their ways.
Unless we engage in big time prison releases, any solution will take a long time to have an effect.
"Within three years of being released, 67% of ex-prisoners re-offend and 52% are re-incarcerated, according to a study published in 1994.[79] The rate of recidivism is so high in the United States that most inmates who enter the system are likely to reenter within a year of their release. Former inmate Wenona Thompson argues "I realized that I became part of a cycle, a system, that looked forward to seeing me there. And I was aware that...I would be one of those people who fill up their prisons"."