1 in every 99 Americans now resides in a prison or a jail. That is mind boggling in itself but when you compare it to this number; 1 in every 30 American males between 20 and 34 is in jail…thats not has been in jail or will likely go to jail…IN JAIL RIGHT NOW TODAY. 1 in every 9 African American males in that age group is in jail.
We have an American city a little smaller than Chicago and every resident is an inmate. We incarcerate more people than China, than Russia, than Saudi Arabia, than any other nation in the world.
Our incarceration rates continue to rise. How long can we continine on this path given it costs 6 times as much to incarcerate a person as it does to send them to college.
1 in every 99 Americans now resides in a prison or a jail. That is mind boggling in itself but when you compare it to this number; 1 in every 30 American males between 20 and 34 is in jail…thats not has been in jail or will likely go to jail…IN JAIL RIGHT NOW TODAY. 1 in every 9 African American males in that age group is in jail.
We have an American city a little smaller than Chicago and every resident is an inmate. We incarcerate more people than China, than Russia, than Saudi Arabia, than any other nation in the world.
Our incarceration rates continue to rise. How long can we continine on this path given it costs 6 times as much to incarcerate a person as it does to send them to college.
Wow, soon everyone will either be in jail or working for the government.
Have you seen how many juveniles (kids under the age of 18) are tried and convicted as adults? We have kids that at the age of 14 are convicted to prison for life without the possibility of parole. What kind of barbaric society treats it’s children like that?
Have you seen how many juveniles (kids under the age of 18) are tried and convicted as adults? We have kids that at the age of 14 are convicted to prison for life without the possibility of parole. What kind of barbaric society treats it’s children like that?
Spoken like a true bleeding heart liberal. Wait till some 14 year old breaks into your house and puts a bullet in you while looking to steal what he can to feed his crack habit. We’ll see how many tears you shed for him then.
Have you seen how many juveniles (kids under the age of 18) are tried and convicted as adults? We have kids that at the age of 14 are convicted to prison for life without the possibility of parole. What kind of barbaric society treats it’s children like that?
What kind of barbaric kid does something so bad that they have to be incarcerated for life?
You really think a 14 year old really knows what they are doing? They are too young and dumb to not be rehabilitated and be given a second chance in life.
I believe each crime needs to be looked at independently, but I hate to say that I somewhat agree with you. Not that young folks shouldn’t be given second chances, but unless they have some proven mental incapacities, teenagers should be tried as adults for their crimes. They are old enough to know right from wrong…their age should not give them “special benefits” in terms of punishments. Just my opinion!
Because they send them to Siberia or are running the place.
than Saudi Arabia,
Because they simply cut off there heads.
than any other nation in the world.
Considering we are the third most populous country on the planet I don’t find that hard to believe. The only other countries with a higher populous are India and China. One of which probably doesn’t have the resources to spend a whole lot of time dealing with criminals and the other which merely executes them.
That being said a large portion of our criminal system is filled with drug possession and dealing violators. Legalize drugs and the prison population will fall precipitously.
And that is how we start the cycle where young, mostly minority, children enter the criminal justice system and never get out. The result is that we, society, pay for people who never finish high school, go to college, or become contributing adults. They become career criminals preying on the rest of us. Yeah, let’s treat a child like an adult, that will solve everything.
You really think a 14 year old really knows what they are doing? They are too young and dumb to not be rehabilitated and be given a second chance in life.
Most know what they’re doing is illegal and just don’t give a shit because they were born of, and raised by a parent or parents that don’t give a shit. These kids were lost the day they were born and as long as the government subsidizes illegitimate birth and demands no responsibility they’ll be an endless supply of these young criminals waiting to take their turn in prison.
Rehab is a joke unless you can rehab the parents.
You really think a 14 year old really knows what they are doing? They are too young and dumb to not be rehabilitated and be given a second chance in life.
Yes, and no. I don’t make general assumptions based on age. I take every situation on a case by case basis. 14, 18, all are arbitrary. Action, capacity, abililty…those are what are to be considered. 14 year olds are adults in 80% of the world.
If you feel so strongly about it, open your doors to ‘rehabilitated’ murderer youths.
It’s all “the Man’s” fault the these poor people are imprisoned. These poor, underserved folks had no choice but to become career criminals. They must be rehabilitated and given cradle to grave entitlements so they don’t commit more crimes. Thank (insert diety or superior being of your choice here) that we have MattinSF and YaHey to show us the error of our ways. President Obama will CHANGE all of our societal ills, of course.
I worked in the city of Detroit for the county juvenile court / child abuse and neglect court. At least at the time I was there, early '90s, a “child” of 14 first had a hearing to determine if he/she should stand trial as an adult. All sorts of evidence was brought in about their background, psychology,nature of the crime.
Yes, each case should be treated independently, but if you think a 14 year old isn’t capable of making an adult decision, you need to spend some serious time seeing first hand the types of “kids” that would come into the courthouse.
These kids were lost the day they were born and as long as the government subsidizes illegitimate birth and demands no responsibility they’ll be an endless supply of these young criminals waiting to take their turn in prison.
Rehab is a joke unless you can rehab the parents.
That, therein, lies a lot of the problem. Some of the cases I saw would just break your heart, and months and monts go by trying to “rehabilitate” the parent, giving them 2nd, 3rd and 4th chances. By the time they would get their act together, the child’s pysche is beyond repair.
There was a standard “time limit” that children were to be kept “in the system” while a parent / parents got their act together. Not infrequently, this time limit was exceeded over and over and over again, while the kids languish. Or, even worse, parent gets it together for a brief period of time, kid goes home, cycle starts again.
I had to get out after five years it was so depressing.
Don’t get me wrong, there were successes, and that always left one hopeful.