Prisons
The world prison population in 2003 was 8.75 million, which is a little more than a tenth of one percent of the world population. The number of inmates in the United States now exceeds 2 million. This is particularly interesting, for with 5 percent the world population, the U.S. has almost one quarter the number of citizens in prison, which is curiously close to the disproportionate rate at which we use energy. We have the highest incarceration rate in the world at 686 per 100,000. Worse, 7 million of us—one in every 32 Americans—were either in jail or on parole at the end of 2005.
In 2005, America added about 1,000 new inmates each week, increasing the prison population to 2.2 million (726 prisoners per 100,000 people), or almost 1% of this society. However, 62% are not yet convicted, as they are awaiting trail. Actually, the situation is worse, for 4.8 million adults were on probation or parole in 2003, and 40% of them will again be jailed someday. Men are ten times more likely to be in prison. Expectedly, but still shocking, 11.9% of black males in the 25-29 age group are in jail, with, in comparison, 3.9% Hispanic and 1.7% white.
While China has 1.43 million (119 per 100,000) incarcerated, they have four times more people than the U.S. The U.K. has the highest rate in the European Union, at 139/100,000. In south central Asia (including India), the figure is 54/100,000, or less than a tenth that of the U.S. However, prison populations are growing worldwide. Is there a better way?
In terms of jails (per 1000 population):
o #1 Maldives 2.2
o #2 Czech Republic 2.1
o #3 Papua NG 1.7
o #4 Hong Kong 1.5
o #9 Dominica 0.014
o #22 United States 0.005
o #50 Thailand 0.002
o #62 Kazakhstan 0.0001
Nearly 10% of all prisoners are there for life. In 2005, that were 127,677 inmates, an increase of 83% since 1992. Let's see, now, if we could somehow eliminate this burden...whoops, I'm getting ahead of myself.
In 2001 (most recent U.S. Department Justice analysis--governmental crime statistics tend to be notoriously tardy), the average cost of an inmate was $62, which should be about $75/prisoner in 2007. This sum means a tax to each citizen of about $125/year, or in the range of $500 for each family of four. Your taxes, of course, pay for prisoners suffering in this largely air-conditioned comfort. When you add the total correctional expenditures, each family contributes about $1200/year. Most actually welcome this tolerable safety tax. But there must be a better way.
Any poll will show that the general population applauds more policemen and placing more criminals in jails. Here I go again, but I disagree. There is a better way…immoral, yes…depraved, maybe, but as Al Jolson might have said, “you ain’t seen nothing yet.” The ideas are not mine. Some came through sardonic or facetious columnists, such as Rick Hamada of Midweek: remove eyes of car thieves so they cannot steal another car, commit a rape and provide the victim’s family five minutes in a room with baseball bats, cut hands off burglars, etc. Okay, he was not serious, but there are extremes, and I will advocate a particularly ghastly one, later.
The world prison population in 2003 was 8.75 million, which is a little more than a tenth of one percent of the world population. The number of inmates in the United States now exceeds 2 million. This is particularly interesting, for with 5 percent the world population, the U.S. has almost one quarter the number of citizens in prison, which is curiously close to the disproportionate rate at which we use energy. We have the highest incarceration rate in the world at 686 per 100,000. Worse, 7 million of us—one in every 32 Americans—were either in jail or on parole at the end of 2005.
In 2005, America added about 1,000 new inmates each week, increasing the prison population to 2.2 million (726 prisoners per 100,000 people), or almost 1% of this society. However, 62% are not yet convicted, as they are awaiting trail. Actually, the situation is worse, for 4.8 million adults were on probation or parole in 2003, and 40% of them will again be jailed someday. Men are ten times more likely to be in prison. Expectedly, but still shocking, 11.9% of black males in the 25-29 age group are in jail, with, in comparison, 3.9% Hispanic and 1.7% white.
While China has 1.43 million (119 per 100,000) incarcerated, they have four times more people than the U.S. The U.K. has the highest rate in the European Union, at 139/100,000. In south central Asia (including India), the figure is 54/100,000, or less than a tenth that of the U.S. However, prison populations are growing worldwide. Is there a better way?
In terms of jails (per 1000 population):
o #1 Maldives 2.2
o #2 Czech Republic 2.1
o #3 Papua NG 1.7
o #4 Hong Kong 1.5
o #9 Dominica 0.014
o #22 United States 0.005
o #50 Thailand 0.002
o #62 Kazakhstan 0.0001
Nearly 10% of all prisoners are there for life. In 2005, that were 127,677 inmates, an increase of 83% since 1992. Let's see, now, if we could somehow eliminate this burden...whoops, I'm getting ahead of myself.
In 2001 (most recent U.S. Department Justice analysis--governmental crime statistics tend to be notoriously tardy), the average cost of an inmate was $62, which should be about $75/prisoner in 2007. This sum means a tax to each citizen of about $125/year, or in the range of $500 for each family of four. Your taxes, of course, pay for prisoners suffering in this largely air-conditioned comfort. When you add the total correctional expenditures, each family contributes about $1200/year. Most actually welcome this tolerable safety tax. But there must be a better way.
Any poll will show that the general population applauds more policemen and placing more criminals in jails. Here I go again, but I disagree. There is a better way…immoral, yes…depraved, maybe, but as Al Jolson might have said, “you ain’t seen nothing yet.” The ideas are not mine. Some came through sardonic or facetious columnists, such as Rick Hamada of Midweek: remove eyes of car thieves so they cannot steal another car, commit a rape and provide the victim’s family five minutes in a room with baseball bats, cut hands off burglars, etc. Okay, he was not serious, but there are extremes, and I will advocate a particularly ghastly one, later.
-
The Dow Jones Industrials did not do much today, awaiting the presidential election tomorrow, slipping 5 to 9320. The rest of the world, too, is waiting, although the Japan Nikkei went up nearly 5%. Crude was stuck at $64/barrel.
-
Well, what's a few dollars. I went ahead with my recommendations and purchased:
-
Microsoft $24.64
General Electric $19.85
Lockheed Martin $84.95
Boeing $51.90
UYM $21.15
-
I can't be so gauche as to say how many shares, but you can be assured that they were all at least in double digits. I bought Microsoft and GE because I said they looked good in an earlier posting, and GE makes wind energy conversion devices (GE actually "invented" the first modern wind power system--see page 64 of SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Planet Earth, for the company of Charles Brush, the inventor, merged with Thomas Edison's company, which went on to form GE) Lockheed Martin interested me because they will make or break the development of ocean thermal energy conversion, and my vast investment will no doubt spur them to success. Boeing seemed worthy, first, because they just got over their terrible strike, but more importantly, because they have communicated with me in the past on hydrogen jetliners. For my next feat of magic, I plan to assist a group accelerate a next generation aviation system, which will run on hydrogen. LMT, in the form of Willis Hawkins and Dan Brewer, was, in 1979, particularly instrumental in lobbying for the inclusion of aviation in Senator Spark Matsunaga's Hydrogen R&D Act. Finally, Ultra Basic Materials, because a friend told me to invest in derivatives. I hope I understood what he meant, and I trust UYM is something like that. Anyway, I will use November 1 as the start date for each stock and I will keep you informed over time on how these investments are growing. You got to think positively!
-
Tropical Storm Polo formed off Mexico, and now at 40 MPH, seems headed straight west northwest towards Hawaii. Over the next day or two, it will strengthen to 50 MPH, but dissipate before getting close to Hawaii. Being a small storm, it could well become a remnant even earlier.
-
No comments:
Post a Comment