On last night's Colbert Report, an amazing moment occurred when Stephen Colbert raised a major social issue that U.S. mainstream media assiduously ignore: the huge U.S. prison population. The issue quickly disappeared due to the apparent ignorance of Colbert's guest: Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner, in charge of "Democracy, Human Rights and Labor."
In a sometimes jokey interview with Posner discussing China's various human rights abuses (including prisoners), Colbert tried to steer the conversation to human rights problems in our own country.
COLBERT: We've actually got more people in prison than China does.
POSNER: Well I'm not sure that's true.
Colbert's assertion is indisputably true. Posner's denial is false. Does the State Department's man in charge of human rights not know the facts?
According to statistics gathered by the authoritative International Centre for Prison Studies in London, the United States has by far the largest prison population in the world: almost 2.3 million people behind bars. China's prison population is second in the world: roughly 1.6 million.
The United States is also number one in the world in its "prison population rate": 748 inmates per 100,000 citizens. Russia is third. China is tied for 114th.
This is a U.S. human rights problem of enormous proportions. Our bloated prison population has many causes including the "drug war," mandatory minimum sentencing, poverty, and racism. And there are corporate profits to be made from "The Prison-Industrial Complex" -- as independent journalists like Eric Schlosser began documenting a dozen years ago.
Wouldn't it be great to see this issue tackled by some mainstream TV voices . . . other than Stephen Colbert?
Jeff Cohen heads the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College.
Follow Jeff Cohen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeffcot
We are NUMBER 1 in prisoners. The State Dept. should add better USA=1
We Build prisons and stadiums and close hospitals and schools...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China#Capital_punishment
Rather than following public policy research on effective ways to reduce recidivism, we are still using outmoded practices that have been proven not to work. While we have made progress in many other systems, our criminal justice system is largely stuck in the 1800s.
American society is based on two twin pillars of state violence- wars and incarceration. We use violence against other countries and against the poor in this country. None of this violence is productive or helps people.
The criminal justice system needs to be radically reformed and taken out of the hands of the people who think state violence and evil is the solution to all problems.
By the way, I have no criminal record. I am actually an attorney who makes money off our corrupt system. If incarceration were actually decreased, I could lose my job. So, I have a vested interest in the current system, yet realize how corrupt and ineffective it is.
The system is broke. Someone needs to say it, even if it's a TV comedian. Thanks Mr. Colbert.
http://margotbnews.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/modern-political-prisoners-in-america/
Big prisons, big money, it’s the American way.
Life in a Chinese prison is much much harsher.. most do not have any heating or AC, no entertainment, and sever penalties for any infractions.. life is hell.