Washblog || For 1st time ever, more than 1 in every 100 Americans are currently incarcerated

For 1st time ever, more than 1 in every 100 Americans are currently incarcerated

By noemie maxwell
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 07:04:14 PM PST
Section: United States Topic: Social Justice

RAPID RESPONSE WA JUSTICE
1-2 messages/mo
"We can change this"

The Pew Center says in a report released today that the 50 states spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending. Here's the link: Record High Ratio of Americans in Prison. And here are some stories from Washington State:

3-Strikes Guest Post: I am not a Disposable Human Being, Ron Peters, Washblog, 3/27/08
What's Wrong with Washington's Gang Bill?, Noemie Maxwell, 2/26/08
$3.3 billion company profits from the pain of incarcerated Washingtonians and their families, by Nicole Brummitt, 2/25/08
Everywhere you look you see us: Families of men and women in prison, by Nicole Brummitt, 2/3/08
We cannot build prisons fast enough: WA Dept of Corrections on prison transfers, Noemie Maxwell, 1/30/08
Imprisoned for life in WA for an attempted wallet grab, by Al-Kareem Shadeed, 1/15/08
An effort to get politicians focused on needed sentencing reforms, Douglas A. Berman, Sentencing Law and Policy, 1/13/08
Guest Post on Initiative 593: Cruel and Unconstitutional Laws in Washington State, Joseph Scott Wharton, 1/1/08
Guest post from WA State Reformatory: These crimes do not merit life imprisonment, Stevan Dozier, 12/30/07
INTRODUCE THIS! Submitting Resolutions at WA's Presidential Caucuses (3-Strikes Reform), Noemie Maxwell, 12/30/07
Life in prison without parole for low-violence crimes: can Washington find redemption?, Noemie Maxwell, 12/11/07
SJR 8212 and the Prison Slave Plantation: Dismantling the Profit Motive for Incarceration, by Lea Zengage, 10/20/07
The time is now to end the war on drugs, Noemie Maxwell, 5/28/07

RAPID RESPONSE WA JUSTICE
1-2 messages/mo
"We can change this"

< What's wrong with WA's Gang Bill? | Hail The Irrelevant Broadcast Patriots! >

For 1st time ever, more than 1 in every 100 Americans are currently incarcerated | 10 comments (10 topical)

Sentencing Laws

The sentencing laws in the U.S. are crazy. When we are sentencing people to a longer time for taking something than we are for taking a life, we really need to look at where our priorities are. It seems to me that more value is placed on things that the life of a human being.

We also need to be looking at what can be done to change the fact that our recidivism is so outrageously high. Schooling, counseling, treatment, work programs, family programs, and mentorships for the people going into and being released from prison and their families would all help to reduce these numbers. It would also help to decrease the number of people that would go into prison later if we learn from what is happening with our prisoners and help them to become positive role models now.

by sonsdadisinprison on Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 09:13:48 PM PST

* 1 none 0 *

Horrifying video about American prisons and tortur

by ThinkerFeeler on Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 10:33:31 PM PST

* 2 none 0 *

Death risk 4 people released from WA incarceration by noemie maxwell, 02/29/2008 12:10:30 AM PST (none / 0)
Difficult video to watch. Depicts a great deal by Lietta Ruger, 03/03/2008 12:15:36 PM PST (none / 0)

If you have a blog

Write an article on this subject or mention the subject and link to Noemie's articles listed here today.

Arthur
You sure you ain't staking too much on yer theories? Not enough common sense?

by Arthur Ruger on Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:04:02 PM PST

* 4 none 0 *

This is the GI Bill in reverse

After WW II we spent huge amounts of money to send veterans to colleges and trade schools, thus dramatically increasing our skill base. Now we are doing the sxact opposite--spending billions on deskilling our work force.

by eridani on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 12:16:41 AM PST

* 5 none 0 *

Interesting juxtaposition. Going backwards by Lietta Ruger, 03/03/2008 11:53:45 AM PST (none / 0)
Very good way to look at it by noemie maxwell, 03/03/2008 01:21:12 PM PST (none / 0)

Noemie, you've enlightened and educated me

with your stories about the laws that govern prison sentences. I saw the one in a hundred Americans are currently incarcerated elsewhere and immediately thought of your efforts to call attention to this as an 'issue' and an issue in WA state.

Honestly, when you began your series of stories, I had not much of an idea about the severity of the situation. I tend to think of the definition of criminal as hard core criminals who have done physical harm or murder to others.

I hadn't thought much at all about prison terms for other reasons. I had thought the 3-strike rule applicable, in as much as after three times, you'd think a person would learn .... well, anyway, I hope my level of ignorance reflects perhaps that of many other Americans and Washingtonians. You've done of good job of opening my eyes, and I believe you are to be commended for your many thoughtful and comprehensive stories on this issue, Noemie - thereby making it an issue important to WB readers.

On the Surge in Iraq "--we have set the bar so low it's buried in the sand at this point." - Barack Obama

by Lietta Ruger on Mon Mar 03, 2008 at 11:46:16 AM PST

* 6 none 0 *

Thank you, Lietta --- by noemie maxwell, 03/03/2008 01:20:15 PM PST (none / 0)

For 1st time ever, more than 1 in every 100 Americans are currently incarcerated | 10 comments (10 topical)

ROSSI'S BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR

Skims $ Millions
from workers comp to attack Gregoire
CLICK IMAGE

PNW TOPIC HOTLIST

SEATTLE TIMES STORY

WELCOME AND FAQ
ABOUT

Login


Make a new account
Username:
Password:

HELP

Recommended Diaries

No Tears From Me for Lonesome Brian Baird
For those of you who have not seen this from the Seattle Times, I have taken Mr. Westneat to task just
By The Left Shue (4 comments)
Bernie Sanders to the richest: via Youtube
What Bernie says -- in 2005 the top 1% of earners made more than the bottom 50% in the United States.
By chadlupkes (2 comments)
Terry Bergeson Has To Go - Do The Math
At the Thursday July 10th 36th Disctrict Democrat endorsement meeting, some people spoke in favor of Terry Bergeson. I thought they
By rmdSeaBos (21 comments)
Eye Candy from 08 Pride Parade
A girl has to have SOME fun. Above, 34th District Obama delegates Dinazina (moi) and Jody Rogers. This year I
By dinazina (7 comments)
It's election day somewhere.
The sun is hot and the calendar pages are flipping slow And so am I Election season passes like molasses in
By chadlupkes (3 comments)
Democrats MUST quit using Republican framing
I have been tearing my hair out reading all the nitpicky squabbling in cyberspace about minor differences in the platforms and
By eridani (7 comments)