From the article:
[i]The latest statistics support that view. The new high of 2,019,234, announced by the Justice Department in April, underscores the extraordinary scale of American imprisonment compared to most of the world.[i]
Holy crap - my country's population is only 4 million
In fact, you could invade New Zealand, ship us all over to the US mainland, and use NZ as a kind of
"Absolom". Hehe. There are even two islands - use one now and one when the next 2 million are ready
I have not much view on this - the inmates have broken the law. However, the article is highlighting that the US has more incarcerated criminals per head of population than any other western country. This could be for a number of reasons:
- stricter laws means more convictable crimes
- laws policed more vigorously
- crimes prosecuted more vigorously
- prison sentences are longer
- prison sentences vs rehabilitation or diversion
OR what the statistic suggests on face value - that the US is lawless. Logically, the last point can't be true. It must be a combination of the other factors, plus I think the drug statistic in the article might be a factor (approx 1/4 of inmates on drug related?).
I personally don't think there is any link (or potential for criticism) between "land of the free" and number of people locked up.