[Buddha-l] Beyond Hope

[curt]

Here's a very nice 2005 world map with a country by country color code 
for incarceration rates (based on data from the International Center for 
Prison Studies, Kings College, London):
http://worldpolicy.org/globalrights/dp/maps-incarceration.html

Here's a link to a study of international incarcerations rates, by the 
"U.S. Justice Fund":
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/intl_incarceration_20030620

Here's a link to a 2003 Christian Science Monitor article on 
incarceration rates:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0818/p02s01-usju.html

Here's a website on the "Real Price of Prison" hosted by Mother Jones 
Magazine:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/special_reports/prisons/index.html

The fact that anyone would feel the need to defend the US prison system 
against comparisons to the regimes of Mao or Stalin basically makes the 
point all by itself. In terms of being a police state, the U.S. is 
definitely playing in the major leagues - and we are in the top of our 
division. If we were to lose the world series (to Stalin or Mao - who 
only play in the "fantasy" league now, anyway) I don't see that it 
matters all that much!

- Curt

Gregory Bungo wrote:
> Hi Curt,
>
> <curt at cola.iges.org> wrote:
>  (snip)
>   
>> That is not an immediately practical answer to 
>> the very real problem of the incredible rate of incarceration in the 
>> United States (higher than anything Stalin or Mao ever achieved) - but 
>> the more one is familiar with the realities of the U.S. prison system, 
>> the more revolutionary one is likely to become in one's outlook.
>>     
>  (snip)
>
> Do you have evidence to back up your statement about Stalin
> and Mao?  Even if it is true, I suspect it would be due to the very
> high mortality rate in the Stalinist and Maoist prisons.  The high
> population of China would also be a factor.  Why imprison people
> when they can be put to work against their will on a collective farm?
>
> By the way, I'm not defending the U.S. prison system.  The
> mandatory sentences for some offenses are outrageous.  There
> are many people in prison who should be in medical treatment
> programs.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Greg Bungo
>
>
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