Welcome to the USA: Home to the highest incarceration rate in the world.

[Daddy]

Read this first:

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/07/slammed-welcome-to-the-age-of-incarceration.html

If I'm calculating things correctly, the USA makes up 1/20th of the world's population(5%), while it has 1/4th of the world's prisoners (25%), that is an exorbitant proportion of our population in the prison system.

We lead in both in total incarcerations and percentage of population being incarcerated; this isn't something to be proud of.

In case you're having a hard time realizing what the problem here is I'll give a few.  Keeping this many people in prison uses a lot of federal money that would otherwise be spent elsewhere(schools, healthcare, helping the conditions in poorer areas which could prevent them from going to prisonââ,¬â€œending that cycle right there.), while incarcerated they are not paying taxes into the system, and it breaks families: some of which have children who, without one or both parents, may just do the same and end up in jail.  That isn't even taking into account the court costs to prosecute the prisoners, the fees for appeals, and, if they are lucky, keeping tabs on them after parole.

Now consider this in conjunction with the "war on drugs" and you have a problem.  A large number of the prisoners are locked up for simple drug charges.  Instead of getting help for a drug problem, they are taken from society and using up resources when they could be helped with their problem while continuing to work and provide tax dollars.  There is also the whole war on drugs taking up a lot of funds itself(really, do we really need to spend billions of dollars to stop and punish people for smoking weed?).


Now, back to the original topic.  What do you think this says when we have the largest percentage of our population in prison, and a quarter of the total prisoners worldwide?

[ncba93ivyase]

one problem is like 75% of americans think anyone that commits a crime is an evil person and should be locked up forever, and i do believe we also impose stricter punishments for crimes than any other developed nation on earth (aside from Singapore which incriminates everything and may execute you just for having pretty much any sort of drug)

If we weren't so damn tough on everything and didn't throw people in prison for 15 years for touching a woman's butt and force them to register as a sex offender (THE MOST EVIL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD) and make it impossible to get jobs after release, it probably wouldn't be so much of a problem.

also, the three strike law is complete bullshit. so a person steals a car. yeah, that's bad. did they kill anyone? no. was anyone permanently maimed? no. throw them in jail for 5+ years. already some major bullshit there. they get out. they have a kid they need to support and can't get a job that'll provide enough money to put food on the table. they break into somebody's home to get something to sell and feed their kid. they go to prison. they go to jail for however long and get released. they find a decent job and start to make a change for the better. they go to a store and forget a candy bar in their pocket and the alarm goes off when they walk out of the store. life in prison.

If a person commits a non-violent crime, they should be helped and not punished. If a man breaks into a home to fed his drug addiction, send him to rehab and maybe have him do some community service. A man breaks into a home to feed his children, help him develop some skills and get a decent job.

but most americans think this is "too good" for criminals and they should be locked away forever.

[Selkie]

Wait, yet we don't allow capitol punishment, because it's inhumane. So there's a small percentage that could reduce the amount.

Also, doesn't more people in jail mean more criminals off the street? I consider that a good thing.

I agree with the part where small crimes shouldn't be punished so harshly, like stealing a TV or doing drugs or something, but Lawlz is a dumbass, if someone sexually harasses a person they should get jail time. And also, I think we have a pretty lenient judicial system when a person who raped a woman can get out of jail with a 95% chance of doing it again when they serve their time.

our judicial system is fucked up, but not really in the way of how many people are in prison in my opinion.

[Selkie]

Like Lawlz said, if you consider a shoplifter or someone who broke-and-entered once in desperation a criminal, then yes. Something like 75% of US prison inmates are there for committing petty crimes.

That's a problem then. I agree

There is a huge difference between someone who could shoplift, and someone who can brutally murder someone.

[hotlikesauce.]

Welcome to the USA: Where if you're the right gender, or the right color, you're above the law!

[ncba93ivyase]

but Lawlz is a dumbass, if someone sexually harasses a person they should get jail time.

So a man touches a woman's butt, and he goes to prison for 15 years. If you truly consider that fair, you're a damned fool.

Did the woman die? No. Was any permanent harm done? No. Why throw him away as if he killed someone? AT THE MOST, a crime like that should only carry a $100 fine and a day in jail. If a man grabs my butt, I'll be like "WHAT" the instant he does it and forget about it entirely 10 minutes later, and I wouldn't see any reason to throw him in prison for a fifth of his life.

and how often do rapists just get out of jail and do it again. most often they're just left in that dump forever until they wither away into a frail old man that can't even get out of his chair. don't want to get raped? don't get drunk off your ass or be with stupid people, and you've reduced the chances 75%. rape is still a serious crime, but many times that woman just claims it was rape so her daddy doesn't know she was drunk and chose to be in a gang bang.

[hotlikesauce.]

So a man touches a woman's butt, and he goes to prison for 15 years. If you truly consider that fair, you're a damned fool.

Did the woman die? No. Was any permanent harm done? No. Why throw him away as if he killed someone? AT THE MOST, a crime like that should only carry a $100 fine and a day in jail. If a man grabs my butt, I'll be like "WHAT" the instant he does it and forget about it entirely 10 minutes later, and I wouldn't see any reason to throw him in prison for a fifth of his life.

and how often do rapists just get out of jail and do it again. most often they're just left in that dump forever until they wither away into a frail old man that can't even get out of his chair. don't want to get raped? don't get drunk off your ass or be with stupid people, and you've reduced the chances 75%. rape is still a serious crime, but many times that woman just claims it was rape so her daddy doesn't know she was drunk and chose to be in a gang bang.

Last statement couldn't be truer.

[Selkie]

Last statement couldn't be truer.

Or more irrelevant to the conversation.

I still can't believe though that you feel that a person who deliberately impedes on one's privacy and dignity for the sole reason of a pathetic touch should simply get off with a small fine. So they just continue to do it.

Sure it's not the end of the world if they touch a woman's ass, but what if there were people that walked around and slapped people in the face for no reason? Is there really any reason for that?

[ncba93ivyase]

Or more irrelevant to the conversation.

And also, I think we have a pretty lenient judicial system when a person who raped a woman can get out of jail with a 95% chance of doing it again when they serve their time.

I still can't believe though that you feel that a person who deliberately impedes on one's privacy and dignity for the sole reason of a pathetic touch should simply get off with a small fine. So they just continue to do it.

Sure it's not the end of the world if they touch a woman's ass, but what if there were people that walked around and slapped people in the face for no reason? Is there really any reason for that?

So you really think 15 years in prison for touching a woman's butt is fair? Really?

Didn't you once post a thread saying "OH GOD I DANCED AND TOUCHED A WOMAN'S BUTT"? Then you're a horrible person and you should be locked up in a cell until you die.[spoiler]You're fucking retarded. [/spoiler]

And people have randomly slapped me in the face before. Did I scream and cry and condemn them and say they should die the worst possible death? No, because I really didn't give a shit.

[Socks]

Until we can remove emotion from our justice system and flawed humans as deciders shit will always stink.

[Selkie]

psyduck;So you really think 15 years in prison for touching a woman's butt is fair? Really?

Didn't you once post a thread saying "OH GOD I DANCED AND TOUCHED A WOMAN'S BUTT"? Then you're a horrible person and you should be locked up in a cell until you die.[spoiler]You're fucking retarded. [/spoiler]

And people have randomly slapped me in the face before. Did I scream and cry and condemn them and say they should die the worst possible death? No, because I really didn't give a shit.

It's called not wanting to be touched/violated and someone does it against the person's will. It's just unnecessary. I never said they should die in prison, but they should at least go to some therapy or something. Because if a woman can't walk down the street without being sexually violated then that's a problem.

[ncba93ivyase]

It's called not wanting to be touched/violated and someone does it against the person's will. It's just unnecessary. I never said they should die in prison, but they should at least go to some therapy or something. Because if a woman can't walk down the street without being sexually violated then that's a problem.

i don't even think therapy is needed for touching a woman's butt because it's a natural urge most people have and many do act on

Maybe if they're a repeat offender, 2 days of "therapy" could help, but it's just a damn butt. Warning the first time, $50 fine the next, double it each time.

[me003]

I actually agree with lawlz (for once) on this one.

[Det in F♯ Major]

I actually agree with lawlz (for once) on this one.

Don't, he's ignorant and obviously takes women for granted.

[me003]

Don't, he's ignorant and obviously takes women for granted.

I already did bitch!