This image says it all in a way. We as an industrialized, developed nation have more prisoners as a percentage of our population than any other country. This is not just tragic, with tragic implications for the families, neighborhoods and culture of those imprisoned but it is a very profitable enterprise for those that control the Prison Empire...
Have you or your family or someone you know been effected by this crooked system? Please share your story or make a comment.
Rick, I can definitely agree that our prison system is completely out of control. Incarcerating people should have never become a multi-million dollar empire. The focus of what prisons are meant to do, helping individuals choose a different path in life, has been replaced with a highly efficient caging system. This leaves a wave of agony throughout entire communities, where minorities are disproportionately imprisoned and removed from their families who depend on them. In addition to your pie-chart "Total Number Serving Sentences", I would be interested in seeing some statistical information on how much the private sector is benefiting from this scandal.
ReplyDeleteKathleen,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I will show some of this information in my next post.
On the other side of the same coin I can share an example with you that keeps someone out of prison who has long been double the amount behind in child support than those on the most wanted list of Elkhart County.
ReplyDeleteBut the reasons are the same. There are underlying rules that are not published or understood with our legal system. For prisoners and those sentenced to work release there is an apparent financial benefit to those making the decisions that seems to contradict civic duty to the public. In my case my ex-husband is behind in child support $66,000 plus. The issue has to do with neither of us living in Elkhart County anymore therefore Elkhart doesn't want the bill for putting him in jail. Then the fact that I stayed off of welfare so none of the money owed goes to Elkhart County. They have no financial gain to motivate them to action in this case. This case has been going on for fourteen years and started at $0 with the amount growing to what it is now and the courts unable to make him pay.
If this money was owed to Elkhart County because I had recieved TANF benefits however... I have watched many over the years get sent to jail over being behind just $1,000 even while the parent was in court and trying to pay. It's more about the money and only justice if your lucky enough to be on the money making side. Very hard to do for ordinary people focused on supporting their families.