U.S. Corrections Population Hits 6.6 Million

[ApocalypseKurtz]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=sto...26/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/corrections_population_5

1 in every 32 Americans is under some type of surveillance by the criminal justice system, whether it be jail, prison, parole, or probation. What a wonderful product of the war on drugs!

 

[Ohwell]

Interesting, to say the least.

 

[G-Man]

I personally prefer to have people under surveillance than under the effects of drugs.

 

[dannyevilcat]

Originally posted by G-Man
I personally prefer to have people under surveillance than under the effects of drugs.

I've got a similar attitude.

But for all those who think this figure is enormously high, think of it this way: if they actually caught everybody, it'd be more like 1 in 20.

 

[Jimcat]

I personally would rather have people stoned off their @$$es than under government surveillance.

But, as dannyevilcat pointed out, not everyone who does drugs gets caught. If they got 100% of the drug users, I'd be right in there with Al Gore and George W. At least, for the most part, the ones who wind up in jail are the ones who deserve it.

 

[Trabpukcip]

I think this should be seen as a sign. May be it's time that america trully understand what freedom means... If people want to do drugs, it's their business and theirs alone. Beleive me, it's not a little bit of weed that will make people criminals. Actually alcool is far more likely to induce a criminal behavior then canabis...

All thos people in jail or else cost a lot money... and I'm sure this money could be spent somewhere far more useful to society.

 

[Wolfe Tone]

Time for more executions...

But seriously I think being jailed for the use of drugs is wrong, its the dealers who should be targeted. However if drug users cause harm to others then they should be punished more serverly. Prehaps more 'creative' deterants are needed.

 

[Bill_in_PDX]

It is unbelievably rare to find a casual drug user actually in prison. It does cost quite a bit of money to house convicts, and that's why the majority of states have no interest in keeping drug users in jail.

Now, get caught running a Meth lab down the street from a high school, and yes, you will get jail time.

 

[Trabpukcip]

Originally posted by Wolfe Tone
Time for more executions...

But seriously I think being jailed for the use of drugs is wrong, its the dealers who should be targeted. However if drug users cause harm to others then they should be punished more serverly. Prehaps more 'creative' deterants are needed.

Honnestly, if people wants drugs, you need someone to provide it. Why would it be wrong? It's not worst then selling alcool or cola or coffee or ... (extensive list)

Ho and BTW I hope the execution thing is a joke...

 

[G-Man]

Originally posted by Trabpukcip
I think this should be seen as a sign. May be it's time that america trully understand what freedom means... If people want to do drugs, it's their business and theirs alone. Beleive me, it's not a little bit of weed that will make people criminals. Actually alcool is far more likely to induce a criminal behavior then canabis...

Drugs effect the brain in way we don't understand. I don't wanna walk in the streets and see guys lying around or worst - drugged up and have no idea what they're doing. Today drugs are so aveilabe that whoever wants them can get them, and the fact is that on supporter out of 32 is nothing for the politicians, and even if you'll include those who aren't caught it's still shows a great majority of people who don't wanna use drugs. And people don't wanna use drugs mostly because they're scared of them and of their consequences. Have you ever talked to someone who's been addicted to drugs? While canabis isn't too harmful, it can lead in [too] many cases to stronger drugs.

 

[Ohwell]

I think instead of just continuing the cycle, the US should crack down on drug producers, dealers, and users alike. Put them all in rigid re-education camps, and put them back on the streets as labor workers. Police should strictly enforce this. Forget freedom, people b!tch about the jails being un-humane anyway, so it would only be for the better. Hell, the US would work alot better as a police state IMO.

 

[drake]

1 in every 32 Americans is under some type of surveillance by the criminal justice system, whether it be jail, prison, parole, or probation. What a wonderful product of the war on drugs!

What a wonderful product of people breaking the law and getting caught for it. Blame the government for whatever you want. The only people who put them in jail is themselves.

Oh, and I think theres others in prison beside drug users, but I'm not sure

 

[amadeus]

I don't have a problem with this number...I have a problem with the fact that these people aren't working. Whatever happened to a good old fashioned chain gang?

 

[Trabpukcip]

Originally posted by G-Man


Drugs effect the brain in way we don't understand.

This is exactly my point, we know what most drugs do and what effect they have on people. You apparently don't understand anything about it... and what we also know is that alcool is by far more dangerous then canabis, lsd or cocaine. But alcool is tolerated nearly everywhere, in america at least...

I'm going to stop writing in this thread because I'm getting to frustrated to again be faced with such a level of ignorance and close minded thought.

 

[MrPresident]

The only people who put them in jail is themselves.

I think the police have something to do with it unless they just turn themselves in.

Hell, the US would work alot better as a police state IMO.

I beg people not to respond to this comment, and yes I do know the irony that I have myself responded.

Today drugs are so aveilabe that whoever wants them can get them

I know what you mean. There are buildings where anyone over 18 (or over 21) can walk in and order a drug and drink it right there and then. Shocking!

While canabis isn't too harmful, it can lead in [too] many cases to stronger drugs.

Where is the evidence for this? Surely using that logic won't smoking a cigarette also lead to harder drugs?

I personally would rather have people stoned off their @$$es than under government surveillance.

Personally I would rather have the government get stoned off their asses (I didn't know that word was censored) while under my surveillance. But that's probably just me.

 

[Jimcat]

Originally posted by rmsharpe
I don't have a problem with this number...I have a problem with the fact that these people aren't working. Whatever happened to a good old fashioned chain gang?

The local businesses lobby against this sort of thing, because they don't want to have to compete with slave labor.

Edit:

And some of them are working. Almost every morning on my drive to work, I see an NJDOC bus somewhere along the side of I-287 between Morristown and Mahwah. A bunch of guys in orange prison jumpers are picking up trash and mowing grass along the highway. Happy now?

Finally, I would rather see these people working -- in regular paying jobs, and off the drugs. As another poster mentioned, keeping these people in jail costs a lot of money. If we invested that money in treatment programs to get them clean and keep them that way, they could become productive citizens in true capitalist fashion, instead of unskilled slaves of the state.

 

[Ohwell]

Hell, the US would work alot better as a police state IMO.
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I beg people not to respond to this comment, and yes I do know the irony that I have myself responded.
______________________________________


I was being sarcastic.

 

[Zwelgje]

Originally posted by Jimcat
Finally, I would rather see these people working -- in regular paying jobs, and off the drugs. As another poster mentioned, keeping these people in jail costs a lot of money. If we invested that money in treatment programs to get them clean and keep them that way, they could become productive citizens in true capitalist fashion, instead of unskilled slaves of the state.

Very good point you've got there.
In stead of very long sentences you could put them behind bars for a shorter time (serving time in prison how short it may be is punishment, punishing longer and longer will not make better humans out of the punished) with this shortened sentence you actually save a lot of money which you can spend on education of these people. More working people will support the economy more people sitting behind bars will slow down the economy.

 

[knowltok2]

Originally posted by Ohwell
Hell, the US would work alot better as a police state IMO.
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I beg people not to respond to this comment, and yes I do know the irony that I have myself responded.
______________________________________


I was being sarcastic.

And here I thought you had signed on to the Darkshadian mentality.

You know, if we put our minds to it, I'm sure we could pull it off.

 

[G-Man]

Originally posted by Trabpukcip
This is exactly my point, we know what most drugs do and what effect they have on people. You apparently don't understand anything about it... and what we also know is that alcool is by far more dangerous then canabis, lsd or cocaine. But alcool is tolerated nearly everywhere, in america at least...

I'm going to stop writing in this thread because I'm getting to frustrated to again be faced with such a level of ignorance and close minded thought.

Maybe you know how drugs effect different people, but scientists don't, so unless you'll reveal you knowledge to the world there's no reason to legalize drugs. LSD has a completely unpredictable result. I don't wanna be near people I don't know what they're gonna do - as far as I know they can do anything between jumping off a window to start beating up people.
Alcohol, unlike drugs, is taken in different amounts. If you take too much alcohol oyu might get violent, but you won't get a cardiac arrest. If you consume it properly alcohol is completely predictable. I never heard of someone drinking a glass of wine or a can of beer and getting drunk. On the other hand the smoke of even lightest drugs will immedietly cause a "high" feeling.