Some really ugly statistics:
1. The US has 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prison population.
2. The US prison population has increased 500% in the last 30 years.
3. 4 times as many mentally ill people are in prisons as are in mental health hospitals.
4. On average, 2 out of every 3 released prisoners will be re-arrested and 1 in 2 will return to prison within 3 years of release.
5. Over the past 20 years, inflation-adjusted state spending on corrections rose 127% while higher education expenditures rose just 21%.
6. Incarcerated drug offenders have soared 1200% since 1980.
7. 47.5% of all the drug arrests in our country in 2007 were for marijuana offenses.
8. Nearly 60% of the people in state prisons serving time for a drug offense had no history of violence or of any significant selling activity.
9. Black males have a 32% chance of serving time in prison at some point in their lives.
10. African Americans make up –
– 12 % of the population
– 14% of monthly drug users
– 37% of those arrested on drug charges
– 59% of those convicted on drug charges
– 74% of drug offenders sentenced to prison