As you seek legal assistance for your case or a friend or family member awaiting sentencing or incarcerated, you may have these questions and more about mass incarceration. Google is a natural place to look for answers about mass incarceration. Everyone goes to Google to find answers. It makes sense. As adults, our first instinct is to solve our own problems. Please understand, however, that powerful forces are against you if you or a loved one face criminal charges. Mass incarceration fuels the prison industrial complex. In this case, it is wise to seek legal advice beyond what Google can provide.
Incarceration Rate in the Land of the Free
There are over 2.1 million prisoners held in the United States. This mass incarceration rate represents 25 percent of the world’s prison population- the land of the free. It doesn’t sound too free. Does it?
The next closest country, El Salvador, incarcerates its population by 10% less at 566 per 100,000. We will explore some reasons that experts put forward for this situation on this page and others within this website.
After seeing the raw data, you may wonder why the mass incarceration rate in 2021 is so high? Are we becoming a more violent nation? Would you feel safe visiting? Could you live here? To answer these questions, let us look at some more statistics.
Federal Bureau of Prisoners statistics show that drug crimes are the most common cause of imprisonment. Drug crimes range from possession to leading an organized ring. While minimum sentences appear to equalize punishment on paper, they have resulted in a higher incarceration rate among minorities.
Mandatory Minimum Sentences contribute to Mass Incarceration
The government intended for mandatory minimum sentences to facilitate the prosecution of high-level drug offenders. The purpose was to rid the streets of drugs, ostensibly making the country safer. However, the amounts that trigger substantial mandatory minimum sentences are often lower than those that a high-level trafficker would handle. For example, five grams of crack might be only 25 doses worth as little as $1,000. Thus, judges must impose mandatory minimum sentences on people who buy drugs, a victimless crime. The mass incarceration rate has steadily increased as years have passed, and these individuals remained behind bars without hope of parole.
If you or a loved one is facing incarceration, we urge you to seek professional assistance. Mass incarceration is a huge social issue in the USA today. We urge you to protect yourself. Prosecutors have the full strength of the government behind them. To stand a chance, you need someone in your corner.
Why is mass incarceration considered a civil rights issue?
People are people, no matter their skin color, so it stands to reason that a country’s prison will have the same racial makeup as its population. The US prison system, however, does not reflect this. While Blacks make up only 15% of the general population, they make up 38% of federal prisoners. Mass incarceration is not distributed equally across the population as a result of this. K Altman Law is dedicated to fighting the cultural problem of mass incarceration in the United States. Find out how K Altman Law can help you.
