Speak Out: Why Are So Many Incarcerated in the USA?
Speak Out qustion: The USA puts more people in prison than any other country. Why do you think this is?
Note: The USA incarceration rate of 737 per 100,000 people is the highest in the world, compared to the nearest country, Russia, whose rate is 611 per 100,000 people.
John Trujillo: “The high rate of unemployment causes people to do drug and alcohol and they have to steal to get by. Also, we have private run prisons that need to make a profit.”
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Phil Karshis: “My sense out it is people are being put in jail for lesser crimes for longer periods of time and often the penalty doesn’t fit the crime.”
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Wally Robles: “It’s because we have the best police system in the world.”
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Jim Ware: “Probably because we incarcerate so many people for non-violent crimes.”
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Frieda Ortega: “I just don’t believe the USA has more people in jail than any other country.”
Comments
By Gerald Castaneda on February 10th, 2012 at 10:51 am
I think it s because our prisons are like the holiday inn free TV 3 Meals a day good living quarters. No hard labor in other countries you pay for your crime how long did it take to execute Saddam Husein in the US that would have been life in prison. So people don’t fear going to prison. 1980 prison riot i was there with the Army guard read the history of it they weren’t been treated right.