[mattduke]

They hate us for our freedom.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')or the first time in U.S. history, more than one of every 100 adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report documenting America's rank as the world's No. 1 incarcerator.

[Gandalf_the_White]

If you start to recognize wage slavery for what it is then approximately 70% of the US population is in endentured servitude, another 27% help their corporate masters feed and milk the cattle and the tippy top 2% own a two thirds majority of everything. 1% are in prison getting three hots and a cot, color TV, online education from law schools, and the chance to someday get out on parole and reoffend. Aside from the dating scene prison almost sounds tolerable.

Sarcasm aside, there are many in prison who not deserve to be there and many not in prison who ought to be.

[heroineworshipper]

Living in some prisons beats working for free & paying $4000 rent. If prisoners were given bags of dollars, it would be called cruel & unusual punishment.

[Falconoffury]

The dating scene in prisons is enough to keep me from ever thinking about living there.

[FreakOil]

Maybe this news will force some people to start thinking of decriminalizing marijuana. This is what happens when you throw people in jail for carrying a quarter ounce of weed.

Of course, any politician with a sensible drug policy is just going to be lambasted for being "soft on crime." This is one of those days when I really despise my own country.

[Benzin]

I was gonna say... If prison is so good maybe we should all strive to live there?

[Bas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FreakOil', 'M')aybe this news will force some people to start thinking of decriminalizing marijuana. This is what happens when you throw people in jail for carrying a quarter ounce of weed.

[peaker_2005]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bas', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FreakOil', 'M')aybe this news will force some people to start thinking of decriminalizing marijuana. This is what happens when you throw people in jail for carrying a quarter ounce of weed.

[EnergyUnlimited]

Who cares, which drug should be legal... illegal...
That won't mean much within few years from now on.
After all those who propose a law will have to find out means to enforce it...

On the other hand I think, it is very bad that only 1% of Americans are in prison.
I think, an adequate proportion should be in range of 50-60%.
That should stop them from consuming excessively.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('peaker_2005', '
')I'm NOT a user BTW. I don't see much point to taking drugs personally, but I see criminalisation as equally pointless.

[Ferretlover]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Gandalf_the_White', ' ')1% are in prison getting three hots and a cot, color TV, online education from law schools, and the chance to someday get out on parole and reoffend. Aside from the dating scene prison almost sounds tolerable. Sarcasm aside, there are many in prison who not deserve to be there and many not in prison who ought to be.

[Cynus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FreakOil', 'M')aybe this news will force some people to start thinking of decriminalizing marijuana. This is what happens when you throw people in jail for carrying a quarter ounce of weed.

[Mahmoud]

Why shoul dit be a surprise that 1 in 100 are behind bars?

I think back in school days, I'd guess that usually 2 or 3 out opf a class of 35 were bad actors, stole stuff from other kids, swore, and went on to mess around and create unwanted pregnancies. Did booze and drugs. You name it. I'd bet many went on to cheat on taxes too. It seemed when I worked in the States, I saw many co-workers cheating the employer's time and even stealing car parts.

If you look at some prosperous places like Singapore, you can imagine that if we had the current cross section of Americans living under that rule, would likely see 5%-10% in jail. And, America would be a far better country for it. Just think how much less policing and security you'd need to have if the evil doers were all behind bars.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cynus', 'D')oes anyone have any statistics on what percentage of the prison population are in jail for this offense?