Prison Town, USA

Originally posted by uzless
The US incarcerates 10,000 citizens every week.

Three hots and a cot sound pretty good when you're a drug addict.

Originally posted by smw6869
Three hots and a cot sound pretty good when you're a drug addict.

Not so good when you don't get drugs...or heterosexual sex...

Originally posted by smw6869
Three hots and a cot sound pretty good when you're a drug addict.

This is based on a bit of a stereotype; drug addiction probably affects more people in a way that does not induce homelessness and starvation than it does in a way that does.

Originally posted by ChronicLeaky
drug addiction probably affects more people in a way that does not induce homelessness and starvation than it does in a way that does.

Edit - Sorry, misread you. Thought you were saying that it induced LESS homelessness and starvation.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Not so good when you don't get drugs...or heterosexual sex...

Somebody call the waambulance!

Originally posted by Merk
Somebody call the waambulance!

Would you like free housing and food if you didn't have them? Would that be a good thing?

How about without women, alcohol, freedom of movement, privacy, etc?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Would you like free housing and food if you didn't have them? Would that be a good thing?

How about without women, alcohol, freedom of movement, privacy, etc?

I would think that many don't go to jail 'cause they are addicts, but because of the crimes they commit to pay for their drugs.

Originally posted by smw6869
I would think that many don't go to jail 'cause they are addicts, but because of the crimes they commit to pay for their drugs.

Some, maybe, but more than half of the people in prison are in there for drug offenses, not assault or burglary.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
"The United States now has the dubious distinction of incarcerating more people per capita than any other country in the world. Yet this astonishing jailing of America has been little noted because many of the prisons have opened in remote areas like Susanville. Prison Town, USA examines one of the country's biggest prison towns, a place where a new co ...[text shortened]... pot.com/

Crime pays very well it seems, but what if demand for prisoners outstrips supply?

I saw a report about 3-strikes-and-you're-out.

Seemingly that keeps the demand for prisoners supplied.

Originally posted by shavixmir
I saw a report about 3-strikes-and-you're-out.

Seemingly that keeps the demand for prisoners supplied.

What then would you do about the 3-strikers?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Some, maybe, but more than half of the people in prison are in there for drug offenses, not assault or burglary.

More than 50% are in prison for drug offenses? Got a link that validates that?

Originally posted by Sam The Sham
More than 50% are in prison for drug offenses? Got a link that validates that?

Read the thread.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Would you like free housing and food if you didn't have them? Would that be a good thing?

How about without women, alcohol, freedom of movement, privacy, etc?

I think the hygiene issue is reason enough to stay out of prison (that and prison rape).

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Tough to find illegal immigrants who are citizens I would think.

But there are plenty of foreign nationals already in the prison system.

According to Victor Davis Hanson, "Eye of the Beholder," American Enterprise, May 2006:

"...California has only a single border with a foreign nation, yet over 3 million foreigners have crossed it and now live illegally in the state; worse, there are about 15,000 convicted alien felons incarcerated in the penal system, costing about $500 million a year."

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson041206.html

I'm sure the rates are comparable in Arizona, Texas and Florida.

Originally posted by Sam The Sham
More than 50% are in prison for drug offenses? Got a link that validates that?

Yes I do, and I've already supplied it.