The U.S. Incarceration Mentality

The Bureau of Justice statistics on Prisoners in 2005 says Federal prisons were operating at 34% above capacity. State prisons were operating between 1% below and 14% above capacity.

This was 3 years ago.

Why the high rate? Possibilities include:

• 3-strikes rule
• War on drugs
• Probations extending many years
• Politicians "getting tough on crime"
• Mandatory sentencing

See the map below to see the projected 2006 incarceration rate by U.S. state.