Jail, Prison Population Jumps in 2006

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Prisons and jails added more than 42,000 inmates last year, the largest increase since 2000.

The total number of people incarcerated by federal or state authorities in the year ending June 30, 2006, was roughly 1.6 million, the government said Wednesday. That translated to a 2.8 percent increase from the previous year, due to people being put in prison at a faster rate than those released.

Overall, the total number of people behind bars — including those held in local jails — was more than 2.2 million, according to the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Forty-two states and the federal system reported increases, with the largest jumps in Idaho (13.7 percent), Alaska (9.4 percent) and Vermont (8.3 percent). Eight states had declines, led by Missouri (down 2.9 percent), and Louisiana and Maine (both down 1.8 percent).



Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4924630.html

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Welcome to the land of the free!

...the 2.2 million behind bars include about 500,000 drug war prisoners and about a million non-violent offenders. I think imprisonment--the deprivation of liberty--should be reserved for those we're afraid of, not those we're just mad at.

The current functioning of our meat-grinder criminal justice system is corroding the social contract. Ever wonder why so many people hate the police?

The justice system is in dire need of a serious overhaul. How long ago did we just do away with the premise of 'rehabilitation' and turn these things into graduate schools for career criminals?

Can you say 'prison-industrial complex'?

Should remain out of jail ?

:shrug:

More people in prison = more prisons = more profit for the contractors.

Fear of people perpetuated by the corporate-owned media = people's willingness to fund and tolerate more prisons.

Prison architects
Prison builders
Prison guard unions
Prison equipment suppliers
Politicians who lobby for new prisons in their districts

And mass incarceration amounts to a jobs program for cops, prosecutors, judges, and the rest of the criminal justice mob.

...like a stone.

C'mon Democrats, do we have anything to say about mass incarceration? Is this status quo okay?

I don't think so. Could Katrina be the reason?

The fact that we put addicts who are 'in line', waiting for a bed at a rehab/treatment facility to open when they fall from grace and imprison them instead of providing medical/addiction treatment help breaks my heart and pisses me off.
Can you tell I am speaking about my own experience with my son, now in prison in southeast New Mexcio, one of the private prisons.
What the hell are we doing to our young men and women, sending them to an unjustified war and imprisoning them for non-violent crimes?

as long as the population increases. Judges don't just throw random people in jail at least American citizens. If your not an American citizen go directly to jail no trial fuck you (compliments of Premier Bush) There has only been one "documented" case of an American citizen being held without trial. I don't doubt that most people are thrown in jail for drug related offensives, but if we don't like that law we need to petition to change it through Congress. That is only way it will ever happen.

if you can put him in prison. They are about to built the world's largest private prison in Memphis, a heavily black area.

The GOP won't have to bounce black people off voter rolls if it can just throw them all in jail; even if they get out, felons can't vote in most states.

if you can put him in prison. They are about to built the world's largest private prison in Memphis, a heavily black area.

The GOP won't have to bounce black people off voter rolls if it can just throw them all in jail; even if they get out, felons can't vote in most states.

:kick:

kicking and recommending

It's a disgrace really.

How many people are in prison that really shouldn't be? How many are being subject to prison-rape when ALL inmates should be treated humanely?

Our entire system is broken and needs to be quickly fixed.

for a misdemeanor probation violation? Dont most people push for longer DUI and non-violent gun crime sentences?

Call me a Tin Hat if you like, but my theory is that the REAL reason for the so-called "war on drugs" is to make more Democrats Felons, there by making them ineligible to vote.:tinfoilhat:

Sound Crazy? Well, what I heard regarding how Marijuana became illegal was that the new Law was pushed through during the early 1930's (The Depression) to make it easier to deport the Mexican Workers, because it was well known at the time that Marijuana was the "drug of choice" for Mexican workers back then.

Note: I've never really researched this, just reporting what I heard, might be an "Urban Legend"

The construction of new jails and prisons often is pitched to communities as economic development, and conservative fear-mongering feeds this insatiably hungry monster.