The biggest national security issue we face is illiteracy.  Experts have shown that if a child falls behind at the 4th grade level, 95% never catch up.  More than half of 11th graders in this country can’t read to grade level.  We don’t have the intellectual capital to compete internationally.  What do people (men) do when they fail at school?  Take drugs.  Then go to jail. 

This makes me feel mad.

This is a really cool animation. While I agree the disturbing money
amounts mentioned in the movie need careful checking by administration and/or policy makers, I want to kindly direct you to the likely costs of climate change. Believe me, even if repetion makes me sound like a boring preacher, we have to recrute a critical mass of people to force all of our politicians to think: how is this or that daily decision helping to prevent the gigantic looming desaster? I’m not talking about the end of the world, the planet will be fine. Life won’t end sooner for most of us. But the economy may well be absolutely smashed even by mosted warming scenarios. Be aware.

The video doesn’t seem to work for me.It just shows the first frame although the sound still works.As far as doing something about prison costs we’re in a tight spot. The conditions of many prisons in the US are very bad, many are housing over twice their designated capacity. Cutting even more money from the prison system could reduce the conditions to where they’re simply inhumane.There are two methods of combating the problem.The newer method involves basically releasing prisoners on parole earlier. In fact in California almost 90% of all convicted felons are not incarcerated. This system has many flaws since about half the time the person released goes right back to doing what has thrown them in jail in the first place. Everything from being caught in violation of parole for violating a restraining order to murder.The more old-school method involves the “Prison Industrial Complex”. It used to be that in states like Texas a prisoner could volunteer to work raising cattle, working on a farm, making furniture etc. in return for guarantees of daily showers, full meals 3 times a day and living conditions which were far above the national standard. This approach created quality products which were sold at competitive prices, the influx of money kept the prison system’s expenses minimal and in some cases even proved marginally profitable for the state. The prisoners were happier, the system was safer and less prone to escape or suicide attempts, prisoners were better able to adjust to life once they got released, taxpayers didn’t have to pay much for prisons and consumers got quality products at a low price.Today absolutely 0 states and/or counties have such programs.So what went wrong?In one word: Unions.The state had to sell convict-made products at a low price because if they made too much profit it would give them an incentive to throw people in jail for no reason. Union-made products could not compete very easily with the inmate-made products. Fearing for their jobs (in spite the fact that very few if any were actually lost) unions began a nationwide smear campaign comparing the voluntary prison labor with involuntary slavery. As a result due to a horribly misinformed public outcry all vestiges of this system were snuffed out so that a bunch of overpaid union workers could rest a little easier thinking that their jobs were safer despite the fact that as stated they were seldom at real risk in the first place.

No me lo creo!!!Once again: Justice is NOT = Law

Not only does it cost that much to house a prisoner, but think of the costs associated with providing public defenders and police officers.  Then consider how difficult it is to keep those positions filled with quality employees when we have a failing school system.  this is clearly an exponential problem that has been spiraling out of control for some time.  Perhaps, if the number one cause of non-violent criminals being put in jails is drugs then the government should figure out how to make it so fewer people turn to drugs.  the funding can’t be going to the right place if the problem is consistently getting worse, can it?

It’s not just the fact that more people would be using drugs! It’s the change in laws that make small offenses punishable by imprisonment. And why? Because prison industry is in private sector. If someone owns a prison and benefits highly from increased number of prisoners…then of course they will hire lobyists to change the laws accordingly.