1 In Every 99 Americans Now Behind Bars

“http://wcbstv.com/national/prison.americans.prison.2.665053.html

This is stunning to me.

"For the first time in history, more than one in every 100 American adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report tracking the surge in inmate population.

Using updated state-by-state data, the report said 2,319,258 adults were held in U.S. prisons or jails at the start of 2008 -- one out of every 99.1 adults, and more than any other country in the world.

By contrast, in mid 2002 the ratio was 1 in 142, with the prison population surpassing 2 million for the first time.

"For some groups, the incarceration numbers are especially startling," the report said. "While one in 30 men between the ages of 20 and 34 is behind bars, for black males in that age group the figure is one in nine."

The report said the United States is the world's incarceration leader, far ahead of more populous China with 1.5 million people behind bars. [B]It said the U.S. also is the leader in inmates per capita (750 per 100,000 people), ahead of Russia (628 per 100,000) and other former Soviet bloc nations which make up the rest of the Top 10."”

“China and Russia just kill them. Maybe we should be more like them?”

“That is because we arrest people for drugs, which is stupid.”

“Drugs cause alot of the crimes !!!!”

“I am talking about solely drug use, not in tandem with another crime. Users.

Alcohol causes more crimes than any other drug out there. It is fully legal.”

“Drug users commit alot of crime !!!!”

“No, advocating that we NOT jail people because of drugs is stupid.
last edited: 2/28/08 11:59:35 AM”

“Drunks well they drive drunk !!!!”

“Rush bang bang. Does your Drug dealer have MD after his or her name?”

“Ok maybe beat thier wives from time to time.”

“It depends alot on the type of dope to what crime is connected.”

“Uh oh, I'm agreeing with rosey”

“I've had very few problems with the weed folk. The meth heads are another story.”

“Salebored has hit on something that is a problem also.”

“I keep thinking that if I read enough of saleboard's posts, I'll come across one that makes sense. Guess not...”

“Illegal drug users support the market for illegal drug sales which, in turn, fuels crime. If you are convicted of breaking the law by buying or selling illegal drugs, especially to children, you should pay the price for your crime.

If you break the law by driving drunk, you should pay the price for that too.”

“Just redefine it as not being a crime.   Like waterboarding.”

“scripts are very popular with the kiddies right now. Who knows it'll change from year to year.”

“I am willing to bet that drunks, who only really do alcohol as their primary from of drug:

1. Commit rape more
2. Commit spousal and child abuse more
3. Commit vehicular manslaughter more

than any other type of drug user.”

“You do know that the "other type of drug users" aren't in the same numbers because it's .... wait for it ... illegal, right?”

“Rosey, and if that is true, it supports your contention that people shouldn't go to jail for drugs. What a world you must live in!
last edited: 2/28/08 12:10:33 PM”

“I woould agree that meth is an exception to the rule, given its propensity toward violence.

Heroin? Lay around.
Pot? Lay around.
Coke? Jabber a bunch, get horny, sell the car and kids to get more.
Mushrooms? Whoaaaa dude.
LSD? See above.
Ex? Get horny, get friendly, talk a lot, laugh, pass out”

“Alcohol bad drugs bad both are problems. I'd much rather deal with a drunk than a meth head.”

“Well, Prohibition has worked so well in the past...... Unfortunately it seems like some folks weren't paying attention.

I dunno Rosey ---- best not give them any ideas along that line.”

“So, as alluded to by sales, prescription drug should qualify. this is legalized substance abuse. Where does big pharma fall into the picture? Rush shoulda been locked up!”

“So what do we do about the drug problem Tilt?”

“or rosey”

“I'm not advocating leagalizing drugs, just thinking out loud so don't pounce on me. But, is the illegality of it really the reason there aren't more meth heads running around? When I think of meth, I don't do it because I like my teeth, my youth, and my tv in once piece. The fact that it's illegal is merely an afterthought.”

“Be more realistic and acept that draconian sentences are not stopping the problem.

Education would seem to be a key for me - perhaps legalizing softer drugs but warning people of the danger, like we do with tobacco.”

“Hey I agree what we are doing isn't working but the people I deal with education would be a joke to them.”

“yeah, but is anything we do going to get rid of the them? or are they going to be there causing problems whatever they do. I'm not sure many of them would be leading normal productive lives but for the drugs.

This is what I mean by being realistic, accdept that we're never going to crush the drug problem, but figure out better ways to reduce it.”

“Y2 come ride with me a few days I've got some people I'd like to introduce you to. I've been working with them for years I've hope beyond hope that they would change thier lives you need to come meet some of them it will change your mind about drugs and the people who sell them.”

“Well, I would say that incarceration is not really a huge deterrent for most people, definitely not given the recidivism rates.

The education needs to start young since kids do drugs at younger ages now. You gotta catch them with it before they potentially drop out.”

“Prohibition fuels the illegal markets.

Taking the profit out of the illegal trade should reduce it.”

“Alchohol, meth and cocaine get real Rosey. But ,other than that, you're rite on.

More crimes ( with victims even) are to pay for the habits. It's way more capitalistic to buy controlled rather than government subsidized perscription drugs that have massive protection from imports and support a bunch doctors that write for a living.

Legalizit”

“God I've been dealing with this my complete adult life I'd love to see this problem get fixed. I don't think leagalizing drugs would fix it. Like rosey said look at the drunks and the homes that has destroyed.”

“how you mean Minish, that that don't change, or you've seen some improvements?”

“It's just christians punishing the evil. Ask , William F. Buckley, oh wait.”

“Imagine if alcohol was illegal.

Not only would it help destroy homes but the prohibition would encourage illegal trade and violence and tie up the cops with fighting it.”

“I don't even think it's a problem that will ever be fixed.
If it wasn't drugs for these people it would be something else equally self-estructive. There is a small percentage at the fringe that you may be able to turn around from those lives though.
That's who we should target.”

“Hmmmmm, tie up the cops..................and spank them.”

“Prohibition fuels the illegal markets.

Taking the profit out of the illegal trade should reduce it.”
MarkO
12:29:20 PM
2/28/08

I wish it was that simple. I could support that if I thought it would work. Most of what I have to do is caused by substance abuse both legal and Illegal.”

“The thing is, like with booze, most people take drugs and get on with their lives, some self-destruct. Not sure the whole war on drugs really prevents many from doing that.”

“OK, I understand now. Since laws and prision sentences aren't stopping murder and rape, we should legalize them too.”

“You are a sick person, NoProd.”

“this conversation is getting me bumed let's talk about the spanking causing people to have sex.”

“You mean your arugment works for one thing, but not the other? If you want it legalized, it's ok to argue something stupid, but if I do it, I'm sick. Thanks for clearing that up. Actually explains most of your political arguments, too.”

“No prob, ever done any drugs?”

“None that were illegal.”

“Let people do what they want---unless it's smoke cigs in public or eat food fried in trans fats.

I'm with Y2. There's a LOT more to this issue. But just because we've spent billions on it (like a HELL of a lot of other govt programs) we should just remove it from the crime list? That doesn't make sense. Drugs is another of those non black and white issues where there's no quick fix such as just sweeping laws aside.”