Looking at the Absolute Failure of Being "Tough on Crime"

[ItsjustmeIthink]

I just wanted to make a quick thread about the United States policy of being "tough on crime"
The pew research center recently did a study, a very in-depth one, on the current condition of the United States penal system (HAHA...'penal'). Its findings were very interesting if not a bit aggravating.
Below are the sources I used:

United States Crime Rates 1960 - 2010
Study: Prisons failing to deter repeat criminals in 41 states - USATODAY.com (see "Recidivism Report")
http://www.vera.org/download?file=3542/Price%20of%20Prisons_updated%20version_072512.pdf

The Cost: 40 states participating in the Vera study - keep in mind that leaves 10 states' costs out of the equation - these 40 states reported an annual cost of $39 billion ($39,000,000,000). A single inmate incarcerated for a year costs us taxpayers $28,000.

Efficiency: So, for all that cheese how efficient is our system? Not very. All that dough and 4 out of every 10 inmates ends up returning to prison. Well that's just for the recidivism rate, how about for our crime rate? Its up by 2 million per year since 1970, up by some 8 million annually since the 1960s. And for the incarceration rate? Just look at the chart below.

I guess what I'm saying is why is America being tough on crime when it costs the taxpayers billions and has been dismally ineffective for nearly 5 decades? And that maybe we, the people that is, should make this a bit more of an issue as opposed to sweeping it under the carpet?

 

[LAfrique]

I just wanted to make a quick thread about the United States policy of being "tough on crime"
The pew research center recently did a study, a very in-depth one, on the current condition of the United States penal system (HAHA...'penal'). Its findings were very interesting if not a bit aggravating.
Below are the sources I used:

United States Crime Rates 1960 - 2010
Study: Prisons failing to deter repeat criminals in 41 states - USATODAY.com (see "Recidivism Report")
http://www.vera.org/download?file=3542/Price%20of%20Prisons_updated%20version_072512.pdf

The Cost: 40 states participating in the Vera study - keep in mind that leaves 10 states' costs out of the equation - these 40 states reported an annual cost of $39 billion ($39,000,000,000). A single inmate incarcerated for a year costs us taxpayers $28,000.

Efficiency: So, for all that cheese how efficient is our system? Not very. All that dough and 4 out of every 10 inmates ends up returning to prison. Well that's just for the recidivism rate, how about for our crime rate? Its up by 2 million per year since 1970, up by some 8 million annually since the 1960s. And for the incarceration rate? Just look at the chart below.

I guess what I'm saying is why is America being tough on crime when it costs the taxpayers billions and has been dismally ineffective for nearly 5 decades? And that maybe we, the people that is, should make this a bit more of an issue as opposed to sweeping it under the carpet?

What is your proposition? You gave no alternative solution: I am not impressed by folks who often criticize but recommend nothing.

 

[ItsjustmeIthink]

I just wanted to make a quick thread about the United States policy of being "tough on crime"
The pew research center recently did a study, a very in-depth one, on the current condition of the United States penal system (HAHA...'penal'). Its findings were very interesting if not a bit aggravating.
Below are the sources I used:

United States Crime Rates 1960 - 2010
Study: Prisons failing to deter repeat criminals in 41 states - USATODAY.com (see "Recidivism Report")
http://www.vera.org/download?file=3542/Price%20of%20Prisons_updated%20version_072512.pdf

The Cost: 40 states participating in the Vera study - keep in mind that leaves 10 states' costs out of the equation - these 40 states reported an annual cost of $39 billion ($39,000,000,000). A single inmate incarcerated for a year costs us taxpayers $28,000.

Efficiency: So, for all that cheese how efficient is our system? Not very. All that dough and 4 out of every 10 inmates ends up returning to prison. Well that's just for the recidivism rate, how about for our crime rate? Its up by 2 million per year since 1970, up by some 8 million annually since the 1960s. And for the incarceration rate? Just look at the chart below.

I guess what I'm saying is why is America being tough on crime when it costs the taxpayers billions and has been dismally ineffective for nearly 5 decades? And that maybe we, the people that is, should make this a bit more of an issue as opposed to sweeping it under the carpet?

What is your proposition? You gave no alternative solution: I am not impressed by folks who often criticize but recommend nothing.

I'm what you call a citizen, not a legislator. I don't make the legislation, politicians do.

I could suggest being "smart on crime", helping criminals reintegrate into society, alternative means of punishment, or better educations potentially give enhanced opportunities to criminals.

I want people to make this an issue, give it more attention, so that politicians may start looking into it. So that they, the only ones who can actually change the laws (not just propose them) may actually get something done. Even if it does take years, some progress is better than none.

 

[George Costanza]

Being tough on crime is what gets you elected. Being soft on crime gets you run out of office. It's called pandering to the mob. And that's pretty much where we are these days. Are you listening, Republicans?