Is this true?

[kentuck]

[think]

1. This is a reprehensible fact

[kentuck]

2. Have we no shame?

??

[el_bryanto]

3. Apparently it is accurate

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/05/louisiana_is_the_worlds_prison.html

Now I feel bad about taking my tourist dollars to New Orleans a few weeks back. But not that bad.

Bryant

[DonCoquixote]

11. Keep in mind one thign about Dixie

There is the Urban South (like New Orleans) which is mostly Left wing, and the rural south, which is mostly evil. The problem is that the State Governments are dominated by the rural part, because the Dixie idea of populism sometimes becomes "get all those evil city folk!"

[pangaia]

17. I LOVE me some NO every few years....

[piratefish08]

31. I was just there 2 weeks ago as well - my 5th visit to SUCH a great city.....

I like to think my dollars have aided toward the recovery not the incarceration numbers.....

[Savannahmann]

4. Yes it's true.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_pri_per_cap-crime-prisoners-per-capita

I guess this proves freedom. Yea America, yeah, kick ass.

[Catherina]

5. Quite true. It's the land of the free n/t

[sorefeet]

6. How many are innocent

How many have been framed by crooked cops and judges. I bet all the judges, cops, lawyers and all involved claim to be God fearing Christians. But have no problem participating in this crime against humanity.

[kentuck]

7. How many are serving years imprisonment for simple drug possession?

I think a big part of the problem may be the time may not fit the crime. In some cases, maybe a simple fine or probation might be more appropriate. Violent criminals should not be on the street.

[Waltons_Mtn]

20. Lots!!

I used to be a probation and parole officer in Louisiana. Louisiana had (has?) some serious multipliers for multiple offenders. I was working with one guy who had an extra 8 years added to his sentence because he had three felony marijuana possession convictions. He could have been sent away for life, but two of the three convictions did not include "with intent to distribute". So the sentencing judge "cut him a break".

Almost half of my probation cases were marijuana convictions. Most of my parolees had at least one marijuana conviction. It's amazing.

[malthaussen]

8. Well, this just proves it's working, right?

Obviously, we are much more efficient at bringing criminals to justice than our friends in Iran and China. That's capitalism for you!

-- Mal

[zeeland]

9. The world must wonder how much longer

the American people will tolerate this bullshit.

[sorefeet]

18. The American people will

put up with it forever. Their ignorance puts it at a low priority. The corporates just buy another politician to perpetuate the profits and to keep things like non-violent marijuana users a criminal. The true criminals and enemies of the American people are our elected officials.

[jwirr]

10. For profit is one of the biggest social services/human spending problems we have. When there can be

a profit then they will find more prisoners to house regardless of the guilt or innocence of the prisoner. This is one of the dangers of privatization both to the people and to the costs.

[byeya]

16. A for-profit prison will not locate in an area unless it's guaranteed a 90% occupancy rate.

That's a prescription for corruption and corruption is what we're seeing.

[jwirr]

19. Exactly. And I do not feel the least bit of sympathy for the taxpayers in those states who fall for

this bull.

[byeya]

25. There very rural area where I lived was inundated with corps-prop that the jobs

the prisons would provide would help them escape from poverty. They residents didn't know those lucky enough to get the underpaid jobs would be guarding their nonviolent friends and neighbors.

[jwirr]

28. That I can understand. But sooner or later we all have to begin to understand that these owners do

not have our best interest at heart.

[byeya]

30. No, of course not. The owners will corrupt judges(as in PA), stir up the populace and make them

fearful and vindictive over minor offenses; and degrade both the inmates and the guards. It is, to me, one of the worst things happening in the country right now.

[baldguy]

12. "USA! USA! USA! WE'RE #1! WE'RE #1! WE'RE #1!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarceration_rate

[panader0]

13. "Parchman Farm" by Bukka White--Louisiana has always been known for it's prisons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VsJTOY67vlk

[NoMoreWarNow]

14. yes, and it's racism for a large part

and capitalism run amok. sick sick sick.

[The Wizard]

21. The system is predatory, justice doesn't matter.

For profit prisons belong in History's dust bin along with for profit healthcare and a privatized military. Unfettered capitalism running rampant will devour the democratic State. They said it couldn't happen here.

[Dustlawyer]

22. They use the pot laws to lock up black voters!

Whites and Blacks use drugs at virtually the same rate but Black individuals are arrested more often and given longer sentences.

[reusrename]

23. The return of slavery is the ultimate goal here.

Civilian Inmate Labor Program

http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r210_35.pdf

http://www.apd.army.mil/jw2/xmldemo/r210_35/main.asp

[Civilization2]

24. The "War on Drugs" is largely the cause of this,.

Watch the new documentary; "How to Make Money Selling Drugs" to learn a lot about how the corporate prison system works.
I watched this last night, and it is really not so much a "how to" story, as it is an indictment of the "Drug War",. a war of propaganda and profit$ for the 1%,. like almost everything now a days.

The incarceration rate in the USA is absurd,. higher than Russia, higher than China,. higher than ANYWHERE else in the world!! By far!!!

"For-profit" prisons and a fake-ass "war on drugs" are the reason.

[EdwardSmith74]

26. Yes, and the majority are in for small quantities of pot.

I really wish this country would delist pot from Schedule I drugs. It has proven medical uses and Schedule I is specifically for drugs with no medical use. Our country is really screwed up.

[johnnyreb]

27. The more crime you create, the tougher on crime you can be!

[woo me with science]

29. The Obama administration is aggressively growing private prisons.

and the use of prison slave labor by corporations is skyrocketing.

More reminders that this is not a Red versus Blue game anymore. This is the One Percent against the rest of us, and we had better get serious about it, before it's too late.

We are in a war for our lives. The war is between the 1% elite and the 99%.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023137828

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022568681
Obama's 2013 budget: One area of marked growth, the prison industrial complex
http://sync.democraticunderground.com/1002392306

Obama selects the owner of a private prison consulting firm as the new Director of the United States Marshals Service (USMS)
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2010/12/mars-d03.html

Private prison corporations move up on list on federal contractors, receiving BILLIONS
http://www.nationofchange.org/president-obama-s-incarcernation-1335274655

"Since President Obama’s first day in office the Corrections Corporation of America and The GEO Group have been awarded $1.7 and 1.8 billion dollars in federal contracts, respectively. And beginning in October 2011 the Corrections Corporation of America has taken its place as the government’s top contractor whereas the GEO Group comfortably maintains the third-place position. Finally, according to USAspending, over one-quarter of private prison contracts have been established under “non-compete” agreements."

Prison Labor Booms As Unemployment Remains High; Companies Reap Benefits
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/prison-labor_n_2272036.html


Financial growth of the private prison industry:

[felix_numinous]

32. These prisons are in least educated areas

I don't like labeling rural uneducated people, from a long line of undereducated people as evil (there are good people everywhere) but the most evil can be accomplished through ignorance and misinformation perpetrated by the 1%.

The fact that so much $$$$$ is spent on prisons and not education is a recipe for disaster. The privatization 'experiment' FAILED badly.

But the powers that be can sit back and blame the unwashed masses for self medicating, or having emotional meltdowns (it's entertaining to watch on teevee!) When there are no decent jobs, healthcare, housing, or dignity to be had-- it's a self feeding loop.

It seems the 1% need to periodically reminded of the inhumanity of their greed, and it's high time for another reminder. I just hope we can find some real allies in high places.