7 out of 10 felons in jail are democrats

[Mister D]

I did not say most, I said too many. I also see the criminalization of drugs as exacerbating crime and thus creating reasons to incarcerate people. It's no different than the crime and violence that grew out of prohibition. The graphics show that there are 10s of thousands of people currently in jail for drug possession and they are part of the "jail churn" referenced in the article. These are people left with criminal records that inhibit their future employability and lead them to actual criminality in order to survive.

If a fraction of the money expended on the consequences of criminalizing drugs were spent in addressing mental health; addiction; in training people to have marketable skills and in investing in at-risk communities, the prisons would have far fewer inmates.

You're flailing, Who. The criminalization of drugs is irrelevant. Only a tiny fraction of the US population will ever see the inside of a prison. Agreed? Good. We may dispense with that bit of nonsense about the "land of the free". It's pretty $#@!ing easy to stay out of prison.

Let me try to explain this again. "Possession" in this case is not simple possession. It's possession with intent to distribute. They're two very different crimes. The kid with a dime bag isn't going to prison or even to jail overnight. The guy with 5 pounds of marijuana in his trunk is in a little more trouble. You understand the difference, right? Both are in "possession".

In any case, it's moot. No where near most inmates are not in for drug offenses and most of those involve either major trafficking or lower volume drug sales. We can discuss ways to ease the burden on the justice system and whether some fronts are worth fighting on in the so called Drug War. What we can't do is claim the US is this horribly unfair, oppressive police state because that's just a lie.

[AZ Jim]

I am neither Russian nor American -- I am Jewish.

Of course, Russia falls far short of Scandinavian Standards. But USA falls short of Russian Standards.

I am a person with disability living in USA.

Here we go again. Judaism is a religion not a nationality.

[CCitizen]

Here we go again. Judaism is a religion not a nationality.

Jewish is also ethnicity.

[CCitizen]

My point is that there are more people in prison than there should be. The justice system deliberately uses the specter of long sentences to panic innocent people into pleading guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for shorter sentences because they cannot afford decent representation and don't even bother suggesting that overworked public defenders can begin to provide a decent defense.

Thank you for an extensive analysis of situation. I agree 100%. Indeed, in USA, people who need help get prison.

[CCitizen]

What we can't do is claim the US is this horribly unfair, oppressive police state because that's just a lie.

Incarceration Rate in US South is as high as in USSR during Stalin's rule.

One difference between Russia and USA is that most people in Russia believe that laws at that time were excessive. In USA most people do not find current Penal System excessive.

[bulletbob]

I did not say most, I said too many. I also see the criminalization of drugs as exacerbating crime and thus creating reasons to incarcerate people. It's no different than the crime and violence that grew out of prohibition. The graphics show that there are 10s of thousands of people currently in jail for drug possession and they are part of the "jail churn" referenced in the article. These are people left with criminal records that inhibit their future employability and lead them to actual criminality in order to survive.

If a fraction of the money expended on the consequences of criminalizing drugs were spent in addressing mental health; addiction; in training people to have marketable skills and in investing in at-risk communities, the prisons would have far fewer inmates.

Theres a big differance between a bottle of whisky and cocaine herion mda molly pcp etc .

[Dr. Who]

Theres a big differance between a bottle of whisky and cocaine herion mda molly pcp etc .

Not in terms of the organized crime that flourishes around the supply of the prohibited substances.

[Mister D]

Incarceration Rate in US South is as high as in USSR during Stalin's rule.

One difference between Russia and USA is that most people in Russia believe that laws at that time were excessive. In USA most people do not find current Penal System excessive.

That nice but Soviet regime kill lots of people. Bloodthirsty Jew most enthusiatic killer.

You think law excessive you die in Soviet Russia. Jew with pistol murder you.

[CCitizen]

That nice but Soviet regime kill lots of people. Bloodthirsty Jew most enthusiatic killer.

You think law excessive you die in Soviet Russia. Jew with pistol murder you.

Totalitarian Regime started when Jews were chased out of power.

Joseph Stalin had many flaws and virtues. Totalitarianism was a flaw. Being the mortal human who did most to defeat Nazis was a virtue.

Nevertheless, I believe Leon Trotsky was the best choice for Socialism without Totalitarianism.

[CCitizen]

Not in terms of the organized crime that flourishes around the supply of the prohibited substances.

Also, in nations like Scandinavia, people who need help do get help. No one has to trade drugs in order to survive.

I believe All Humans are Created Equal. Both Liberals and Conservatives in USA believe that some people should not have many rights.