The United States as the World's Biggest Jailer

Key Statistics

• 2.2 million people imprisoned in the U.S.—the highest number globally.
• 6.9 million people caught up in the prison system when including probation and parole.
• 1 in 35 American adults are in the prison system.
• 1 in 3 African American men born today will go to jail or prison at some point in their lives.

Historical Context

• In the 1960s, U.S. incarceration rates were similar to those in Europe.
• Current crime rates in the U.S. are comparable to those in the Western world.

Causes of Mass Incarceration

Tough-On-Crime Policies

• Harsh policies in state and federal legislatures.
  • Longer sentences.
  • Three-strikes laws (mandatory prison after three offenses).
• In Germany, only 6% of convicted individuals are incarcerated compared to 70% in the U.S.
• Average sentence length in the U.S. is three years, tripling that of Germany.

Drug Laws

• 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act introduced mandatory minimum sentences.
  • 5 grams of crack = 5-year minimum sentence.
  • 500 grams of cocaine needed for the same sentence.
• Black and white people use drugs at the same rate, but black men are 12 times more likely to be imprisoned for drug offenses.

Mental Health and Prison

• About 50% of incarcerated people suffer from mental health problems.
  • 10-25% have severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
• High rates of drug and alcohol dependence.
• Recidivism is common among the mentally ill due to lack of proper treatment.

Post-Prison Challenges

• Conviction impacts job, housing, and education opportunities.
• Convicted felons often lose the right to vote.
  • In Florida and Virginia, over 20% of black people are disenfranchised.

The Prison Industrial Complex

• Private prison corporations profit from mass incarceration.
  • Corrections Corporation of America made $1.6 billion in 2014.
• Raises questions about true freedom in the U.S.

Jail vs. Prison

• Transcript ends mid-topic, further distinction not provided.