Re: How many people are incarcerated compared to 1920?

Ok, I know everything can't be my biggest issue, and everything can't be a BIG DEAL, but this is one of the things that I would like to change about America the most!

The saddest part of all the people in jail is, for those who have families such as a souse or CHILDREN, this is a sentence for them too, and often worse for the family without dad around. Usually these families have trouble making ends meet before losing one income, as a single parent household it is even harder. This is the most important thing I think people should consider when they talk about locking people up to protect families, (and you hear it over and over, to "protect out kids".) At lot of harm can be done to a family to have one adult taken away, especially if that is the kid's favorite parent.

With the prison population in the millions, there are many more people on probation, or otherwise 'in the system'. Department of Justice statistics say the average white male has an 11% chance of being incarcerated at some time in their life, black is 33%. Sorry hispanics, I forgot about you :(