1 in 32 Americans in jails, on parole

[Phrogman]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061130/ap_on_re_us/prison_population

WASHINGTON - A record 7 million people — or one in every 32 American adults — were behind bars, on probation or on parole by the end of last year, according to the Justice Department. Of those, 2.2 million were in prison or jail, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year, according to a report released Wednesday.

More than 4.1 million people were on probation and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005. Prison releases are increasing, but admissions are increasing more.

>>

From 1995 to 2003, inmates in federal prison for drug offenses have accounted for 49 percent of total prison population growth.

>>

Racial disparities among prisoners persist. In the 25-29 age group, 8.1 percent of black men — about one in 13 — are incarcerated, compared with 2.6 percent of Hispanic men and 1.1 percent of white men. And it's not much different among women. By the end of 2005, black women were more than twice as likely as Hispanics and over three times as likely as white women to be in prison.

[Poll_Blind]

1. It's a new slavery class. It really is. Prisoners can be compelled...

...to do work and with numbers like that is my charge really controversial?

PB

[Mythsaje]

2. Drug War victims.

This has been allowed to continue unabated for at least thirty years without anyone in any position of power having the guts to actually address the issue. I imagine it will continue in much the same vein for the next thirty years unless someone important actually speaks out about it.

[Oldenuff]

3. The Drug War is a bust

Better lock up all them potheads that hold good paying jobs and take care of their families.Nevermind what this is costing us,let's just throw everyone who doesn't "toe the line" in jail.

[Mythsaje]

4. Yeah, since it's worked so well so far, right?

;)

The drug war is inherently racist, for one, and it's pretty obviously classist as well.

Most of us rank-and-file liberals get it, but why is it that our elected representatives don't seem to?

Welcome to DU! :hi: