cannabisnews.com: US Prison System a Costly, Harmful Failure: Report US Prison System a Costly, Harmful Failure: Report Posted by CN Staff on November 18, 2007 at 21:18:40 PT By Randall Mikkelsen Source: Reuters Washington, DC -- The number of Americans in prison has risen eight-fold since 1970, with little impact on crime but at great cost to taxpayers and society, researchers said in a report calling for a major justice-system overhaul.The report released on Monday cites statistics and examples ranging from former vice-presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby to a Florida woman's two-year sentence for throwing a cup of coffee to make its case for reducing the U.S. prison population. It recommends shorter sentences and parole terms, alternative punishments, more help for released inmates and decriminalizing recreational drugs as steps that would cut the prison population in half, save $20 billion a year and ease social inequality without endangering the public."President (George W.) Bush was right," in commuting Libby's perjury sentence this year, the report says. "But while he was at it, President Bush should have commuted the sentences of hundreds of thousands of Americans who each year have also received prison sentences for crimes that pose little if any danger or harm to our society."The report was produced by the JFA Institute, a Washington criminal-justice research group, and its authors included eight criminologists from major U.S. public universities. It was funded by the Rosenbaum Foundation and financier George Soros's Open Society Institute.Its recommendations run counter to broad U.S. public support for getting tough on criminals through longer, harsher sentences and to the Bush administration's anti-drug stance. Shifting AttitudesBut the report cites state and local trends such as medical-marijuana laws as signs attitudes toward punishment may be shifting.More than 1.5 million people are now in U.S. state and federal prisons, and the number has risen each year from 196,429 in 1970, the report said. Another 750,000 people are in U.S. jails.Although the U.S. crime rate declined in the 1990s and much of this decade, it is still about the same as in 1973, it said. But the prison population has soared because sentences have gotten longer and people who violate parole or probation are more likely to be imprisoned."There is no evidence that keeping people in prison longer makes us any safer," JFA President James Austin, a co-author of the report, said in a release.The report said the prison population is projected to grow by another 192,000 in five years, at a cost of $27.5 billion to build and operate additional prisons.At current rates, one-third of all black males, one-sixth of Latino males, and one in 17 white males will go to prison during their lives.Women represent the fastest-growing segment of the prison population, the report said. The result is increased social and racial inequality."The massive incarceration of young males from mostly poor- and working-class neighborhoods, and the taking of women from their families and jobs, has crippled their potential for forming healthy families and achieving economic gains," it said. Source: Reuters (Wire)Author: Randall MikkelsenPublished: November 19, 2007Copyright: 2007 Reuters News ServiceJFA Institutehttp://www.jfa-associates.com/CannabisNews Justice Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/justice.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by FoM on November 20, 2007 at 08:30:06 PT Afterburner I agree. I know this administration has really messed with our heads but I don't believe the future will see politicians wanting to ramp up the prison population. I feel saner days might be coming. At least I hope so. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by afterburner on November 20, 2007 at 08:05:01 PT 'broad U.S. public support '??? "Its recommendations run counter to broad U.S. public support for getting tough on criminals through longer, harsher sentences and to the Bush administration's anti-drug stance.""broad U.S. public support for getting tough on criminals through longer, harsher sentences"???"broad U.S. public support ... to the Bush administration's anti-drug stance"???"broad U.S. public support"? Broad Support? Public Support? from whom? Legislators? Big Pharma? The Prison-Industrial Complex? People terrorized by their own government's relentless propaganda? The Media Masters of Manipulation? Right wing conservative bloggers?The human-on-the-street wants regulated access to medical cannabis and a Safer alternative to alcohol for adult recreation!Good article otherwise though. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Hope on November 19, 2007 at 05:37:23 PT This Report from Reuters won't make Us News "More than 1.5 million people are now in U.S. state and federal prisons, and the number has risen each year from 196,429 in 1970, the report said. Another 750,000 people are in U.S. jails."This report won't make any impact here. It will be totally ignored.This country is being tortured and it's citizen's mistreated and misgoverned, and George Soros, for sure, isn't the one who is destroying what we once were. I have great respect and admiration for Mr. Soros and his love of this country and what it is supposed to be. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Hope on November 19, 2007 at 05:31:10 PT WHY NOT HERE? US SCIENTISTS BELIEVE? "A compound found in cannabis may stop breast cancer spreading throughout the body, US scientists believe.""US SCIENTISTS BELIEVE"? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Hope on November 19, 2007 at 05:28:52 PT In a British paper? Why not HERE? "A compound found in cannabis may stop breast cancer spreading throughout the body, US scientists believe.The California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute team are hopeful that cannabidiol or CBD could be a non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy.Unlike cannabis, CBD does not have any psychoactive properties so its use would not violate laws, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics reports." [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Hope on November 19, 2007 at 05:23:09 PT Today Going to jail is becoming almost as common as paying taxes.It didn't used to be that way. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Hope on November 19, 2007 at 05:19:27 PT Juxtaposition "Women represent the fastest-growing segment of the prison population, the report said."'Cannabis' may halt breast cancer: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7098340.stm " [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by mayan on November 19, 2007 at 03:47:00 PT Wisconsin Editorial: Medical marijuana law deserves consideration: http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071119/APC0602/711190558/1036/APCopinion [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on November 19, 2007 at 03:34:46 PT The Punishers They will likely not waver from their punishing ways. The prison-industrial complex is a for-profit venture. Some more good news... 'Cannabis' may halt breast cancer: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7098340.stm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment