5% of the World’s Population, 25% of its Prisoners
That’s America, alright, and the numbers come from an article on prison reform written by Mark Lange in the Christian Science Monitor. As yall know, we’re big supporters of the Youth PROMISE Act over here at 99p. The statistics from the American Prison system are horrendous; recidivism is practically guaranteed for many people who serve time, because they leave these “crime schools” with complicated paroles and no preparation in life after jail. As Mr. Lange writes:
Mass imprisonment of nonviolent offenders amounts to justice by lock-down – and lets government off the hook for results. The only stakeholders this system serves are elected officials, including judges, who are rewarded for posing as “tough” on crime without solving it – and the lobbyists and interests paid to build and run prisons.
It’s hard to see justice in our country as a big business, but there are clearly many companies with stakes in the maintenance and expansion of our prison system. But where does that leave the populace? Especially in these tough economic times, resources are scarce. More money for prisons means less money for rehabilitation. But how can we decide the course of action: harsher sentencing and more police, or community education and maturity through mentoring?
Lange says it best: “The answer depends on what you think American society should more closely resemble: a school, or a prison.“
