JAILS 'R' U.S.

One In Every 136 Americans Behind Bars

The idea of locking criminals away for a long, long time appeals to
Americans. The notion makes them feel safe. They couldn't be more wrong.

Statistics released Monday by the U.S. Justice Department show that
the United States has the highest incarceration rate among democratic
nations, and the rate keeps growing, outpacing the growth in overall
population by double or more. As of mid-year 2005, one person was in
jail or prison for every 136 Americans. Incarceration is increasing
significantly in the South -- in Florida, the number of people in jail
or prison increased at more than twice the national rate.

Supporters of that trend attribute decreases in the crime rate to the
national lock-'em-up mentality. But decreases in crime rate are almost
always associated with reductions in poverty and unemployment.

The increases in the number of people behind bars has everything to do
with changes in drug policy and the increased popularity of "minimum
mandatory" sentences that pile decades on to prison terms.

While crime is decreasing, the picture is far from rosy. This country
has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world-- the category
of crime that strikes most fear into Americans. The murder rate, for
example, is three times higher than that of Canada or Great Britain.
The United States leads the world in assaults and rapes. These
rankings haven't changed despite the U.S. penchant for locking up more
people.

The policies of former administrations' failed "wars" on drugs lashed
out predominantly at African-American populations by attaching higher
penalties to drugs (like crack cocaine) favored by black addicts.
Crack is one of the least-used of the illegal drugs in the United
States according to Human Rights Watch, but it's one of the primary
focuses of police investigation -- and one of the most significant
reasons why nearly 40 percent of the prison population is black.

The injustice behind these racial inequities isn't the only cost.
American taxpayers pay -- and pay and pay -- to build cells, hire
guards and house inmates. And as soon as governments build facilities,
they are filled: Last summer, 95 percent of jail beds were occupied.
This points to a new trend. More inmates are being held in local jails
- - - placing a strain on local resources -- rather than being sent to
prison.

By pushing the problem down to counties and cities, federal and state
lawmakers relieve the strain on their own budgets -- and duck the hard
questions about the growing incarceration rate and how it's warping
justice nationwide.

The push to local jails also further dilutes any attempts at
rehabilitation, which was once a significant and successful component
of prison policy.

The incarceration trends show a nation headed in the wrong direction
- -- locking its troubles out of sight rather than confronting them.
Increasing the prison population won't make Americans safer, but it
will increase misery, hopelessness and public expense.