I'll settle for, "We're Number One!"

[MrScorpio]

[Wounded Bear]

1. I'd be willing to bet the US number is actually underreported....

Just sayin'

[kardonb]

4. prisoners

you cannot compare the numbers of prisoners in different countries . What counts is the %age of the whole population in each country that is incarcerated; that would give you a more accurate comparison.

[Bonobo]

2. Some statistics tell more than just the numbers.

They are a peephole into a deeper truth.

In this case, the truth is that America no longer sees its own strength in its people.

That's not true for all countries. Some DO realize that strong, educated, healthy people make for a strong country.

It puts the lack of access to affordable health care, housing and education in a new (and sad) light.

Most of us are extra people. Unnecessary and unwanted.

But you can't just shoot 'em, right?

[Spider Jerusalem]

3. more meaningful list here:

Last edited Thu May 16, 2013, 01:54 AM - Edit history (1)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarceration_rate

Absolute number isn't really useful in comparing incarceration rates between countries; per capita is better (the USA is still number one, though!)

[Locut0s]

5. Not only more useful but sadder/scarier, an indicator of an even bigger problem...

than the list in the OP. The list in the OP is roughly correlated with population sizes and size of government / world influence. This list has the US at the top of a list of countries like Rwanda, Azerbaijan, El Savador and others... Not good. Especially when you consider the percentage of the incarcerated population in for minor drug possession and trafficking crimes. sad

The tiny countries that dot this list are probably largely at the top because small countries are always skewed to the top or bottom when you look at per capita numbers.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. Huh?

No it isn't? The list in the OP isn't correlated with population sizes (China and India each have more than three times the population of the USA), nor is it correlated with world influence (the UK and France are both permanent members of the UN Security Council and G8 countries but are both much further down the list).