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A (too?) hopeful vision of the future for prison nation

By Douglas A. Berman

The New York Daily News has this notable op-ed, headlined "Bend America's prison bars: The time is ripe for penal reform."  It starts with a call for reform and ends on a hopeful note: America's penal system needs a top-to-bottom overhaul - and a movement of people ready to do something about it is taking shape nicely. More than 2.1 million people are now behind bars in America ? either in federal or state prisons or local jails ? a larger proportion of the population than in any other civilized nation and a 500% increase since 1980. Another 5 million are under some kind of supervision, like parole, probation or house arrest, for a grand total of more than 7 million souls.... There is, unfortunately, a callous indifference in many sectors of society to the insanity of it all, the waste and futility and unfairness...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on February 08, 2009 (boomark / email).