As of June 30, 2005, about 1 out of every 136 U.S. residents was incarcerated either in prison or jail. The total amount being 2,186,230, with 1,438,701 in State and Federal prisons and 747,529 in local jails.
Compared with other countries, the United States has among the highest incarceration rates in the world. More people are behind bars in the United States than any other country. As of 2006, a record 7 million people were behind bars, on probation or on parole. Of the total 2.2 million were incarcerated. China ranks second with 1.5 million followed by Russia with 870,000. The United States has 5 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's incarcerated population.
As of 2006, the incarceration rate in prison and jail, in the United States was 737 inmates per 100,000 or 1 of every 32 adults. For the most part, the U.S. rate is three to eight times that of the Western European nations and Canada.
source: wikipedia.org
What does this statistic say about American society and its elected government? Is this a positive facet of American life, or a negative one? Can one use this statistic to compare the United States and other totalitarian regimes which typically have high prison counts, or is America's case different? What are some of the possible causes for the seemingly massive prison population in the United States? What consequences, negative or positive, could this have for the future of America?
Compared with other countries, the United States has among the highest incarceration rates in the world. More people are behind bars in the United States than any other country. As of 2006, a record 7 million people were behind bars, on probation or on parole. Of the total 2.2 million were incarcerated. China ranks second with 1.5 million followed by Russia with 870,000. The United States has 5 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's incarcerated population.
As of 2006, the incarceration rate in prison and jail, in the United States was 737 inmates per 100,000 or 1 of every 32 adults. For the most part, the U.S. rate is three to eight times that of the Western European nations and Canada.
source: wikipedia.org
What does this statistic say about American society and its elected government? Is this a positive facet of American life, or a negative one? Can one use this statistic to compare the United States and other totalitarian regimes which typically have high prison counts, or is America's case different? What are some of the possible causes for the seemingly massive prison population in the United States? What consequences, negative or positive, could this have for the future of America?
Last edited by JimmyBotswana (2007-01-28 07:24:20)
