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To: Maurice Winn who wrote (69254)	5/12/2008 2:45:36 AM
From: Elroy Jetson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

Not exactly. . . the bias is toward crime, not imprisonment. If people don't commit crimes, they won't be in prison Sentences in the US are substantially longer than they are in Europe, Australia or New Zealand for similar crimes. It has not reached the level of the UK Old Bailey which sentenced those convicted of stealing a load of bread to death, graciously commuted by the Privy Council to transportation to Australia with a 20 year sentence of shackled labor - but it's headed in that direction. Two larger problems are: Since America no longer has facilities or effective programs to care for the severely mentally ill, they make up a large percentage of the prison population, in some cases imprisoned for life under "three strikes laws for stealing a bicycle or pizza; Likewise the majority of those in prison are there on drugs related offenses. It's extraordinarily stupid and expensive to spend $45k per year maintaining these addicts in lengthy prison sentences when addiction can be dealt with less expensively. Goodness knows I would be delighted to see all addicts sent to another planet, but the cost issues disturb me greatly. In spite of shorter sentences, Europe, Australia and New Zealand do not appear to be experiencing massive crime waves relative to the US. .