Not only are US Prisons terrifying, . , but now we hear that 1 in 99 of the US adult population is behind bars.
“Incarceration rates are even higher for some groups. One in 36 Hispanic adults is behind bars, based on Justice Department figures for 2006. One in 15 black adults is, too, as is one in nine black men between the ages of 20 and 34.
The land of the free.
Actually prison time is probably sociably acceptable, and even getting to be a rite of passage for some of those groups. When prison is no longer a bad thing, then does a Government have control?
“On average, states spend almost 7 percent on their budgets on corrections, trailing only healthcare, education and transportation.
I’m no public sector economist, but it seems pretty obvious to me that most of the 7% could be better spent on a safety net, education and health care to solve the root cause of the problem.
Lance Wiggs 
Well said.
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And think of the issues for the children left behind. Whilst i agree people who present a clear danger should be behind bars there are plenty who shouldn’t be. The social costs of this will be felt for generations to come.
Mind you there is a strong argument for a complete redesign of prisons as well.
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Bring back the chain gangs smashing rocks to roadign gravel with sledgehammers for 10 hours a day, remove all TV’s, cellphones and radios leaving only the library of non-fiction books. Then prisons will become something to be avoided.
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i was thinking more along the lines of solitary confinement, piped meditation music and lots of books :-)
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