Why are there so many people in prison?
America has a incarceration rate higher than Russia because we fill our jails with people who have hurt nobody but themselves – drug users. We also drug merchants who sell drugs to meet consumer demand. In the process of arresting people over a cultural choice of intoxicant, we break up families which is known to lead to criminal behavior. If you want to reduce the prison population by 60% immediately, decriminalize drugs and release everyone in prison on non violent drug charges. On the other hand if you want MORE in prison, just start banning other things that may be unhealthy – start with people who eat pork rinds, or smoke cigars. Then move up to everyone who drinks alcohol or smokes cigarettes, or are over their recommended weight.
