| Statistics are confusing at times. Consider the following: Since 1985, the nation's crime rate has decreased by 5% . In the past 20 years, the murder rate in America has stayed the same. In 1980, American prisons and jails contained 500,000 people. Since then, the incarcerated population has increased by over 1 million. Since 1980, 84% of the increase in prison admissions were people who committed non-violent crimes. Between 1980 and 1990, the state of California built 16 prisons and 1 state university. In 1994, Corrections Corporation of America (ticker symbol CXW in the STOCK MARKET) had a higher rate of gain than IBM. (Former ticker symbol was CCA) African Americans constitute 12% of the US population, 13% of US drug users, and 74% of the prison population.* What is difficult to understand is this: according to statistics, the crime rate is down by 5%. But the population of the incarcerated has more than doubled. Violent crime rate is down, but the prisons are overflowing and the demand for building new prisons is up. The Bureau of Prisons expects a 50% increase in prison population growth over the next 6 years, and it will require the construction of at least 2 dozen new prisons. Now, it seems to me that with the crime rate down as it is, they should be using a remodeled empty prison or two for new educational facilities rather than building a lot of new prisons. But then what would become of the money-mongers who are profiting through the prison industry in the STOCK MARKET ? In trying to solve this mystery, what comes to light is money. That's what this is all about. The WAR ON DRUGS nets a large percentage of the prison population, some of the offenses being so minor it is unbelievable that certain cases even found their way into a court room, not to mention outrageous subsequent prison terms that result. So why do they? Money. The result of one prisoner released is a financial loss which must be made up, find a reason to incarcerate someone else. So, for example, an elderly woman is incarcerated because she is living in the same home as her drug dealing son. All in the name of the WAR ON DRUGS. Tax payer's money is wasted, and the STOCK MARKET soars. If this elderly woman is released from prison before she expires, she will now find herself in poverty and will have to secure a job. And employers do not like to hire (a) the elderly, and (b) FELONS. And, as the law goes in so many states, she will no longer have the right to vote. She has been "systematically silenced". (see Outlaw Man's article SYSTEMATICALLY SILENCING THE POOR) The statistics above can be found on the NCIA website at http://www.ncianet.org/ncia. There is a WEALTH of information on this site and I highly recommend checking it out. But I would suggest you do so right away, because you just never know........ -Jake HOME |
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| Puzzling Statistics Tell It Like It Is.... |