Why does the United States have the highest incarceration rate in the world?

Answer 1

You are right on Scott.... another reason is that the U.S. is now the number one police state in the world. China focuses on rehabilitation, not incarceration.
On top of that w have hundreds of thousands of citizens in prison for possessing small amounts of vegetation that grows wild along the roads. Follow the money trail, the criminal justice system is now using billions a year to administer draconian drug laws that have been proved frivolous in other countries.

Answer 2

Your wrong on that statistic, because we can not get reliable data out of China, North Korea kills dissidents as do many other countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia. You also remember that we tell the truth and back that up with inspections data etc. When was the last time that people were permitted to walk through Castro's prisons or the Russian Gulags

Answer 3

Two main reasons:

Mandatory sentencing laws and drug laws.

Interesting to note that during the period of highest incarceration the crimes rates are hitting all-time lows.

Answer 4

highest in the western world,we dont now the truth of the rest,but lets try this, when a cop busts drug dealers here they get to keep the money,.then they buy new equipment to catch the next and so on, so fully modern cop,s and still dumby crook,s easy question.

Answer 5

Because we are very concerned with putting away all the drug dealers. Not the real drug dealers but, all the small time ones. That way when the prisons become over crowded we can release all the rapists and child molesters.

Answer 6

there is money to be made in the incarceration business.

In my town, there are so many repeat offenders its not funny,
but if you go to court and watch and listen, then you'll learn its all about the money and control

Answer 7

Because there is a lot of crime in the United States.

Answer 8

We have had 40 years of welfare to swell the prison population. Take a look at when welfare started, around 1960, and then look at prison populations starting about 18 years later.


AM I RIGHT? SURE I'M RIGHT.

Answer 9

There are thousands of people imprisoned for merely possessing a little marijuana, while they are forced to let real criminals go free to make more room. It's time marijuana was legalized.

Answer 10

Famous people get away with things that regular Joe's would get in trouble for.