Some really ugly statistics: 1. The US has 5% of the world's population, but 25% of the worlds' prison population. 2. 2.38 million Americans are in prison - five times the world's average incarceration rate. 3. 4 times as many mentally ill people are in prisons as are in mental health hospitals. 4. On average, 2 out of every 3 released prisoners will be re-arrested and 1 in 2 will return to prison within 3 years of release. 5. Over the past 20 years, inflation-adjusted state spending on corrections rose 127% while higher education expenditures rose just 21%. 6. Incarcerated drug offenders have soared 1200% since 1980. 7. 47.5% of all the drug arrests in our country in 2007 were for marijuana offenses. 8. Nearly 60% of the people in state prisons serving time for a drug offense had no history of violence or of any significant selling activity. 9. Black males have a 32% chance of serving time in prison at some point in their lives. 10. African Americans make up - -
Nancy LeTourneau's big picture look at politics and life