Why do we lock up everybody?

If I was a conspiracy type guy, I would say that there has been a bit of effort by some corporations to pass laws designed to lock up more people than publicly financed institutions can handle. Once the problem becomes endemic, the only solution is to house the unfortunates in private prisons, which operate for profit.

Not wrong gloveshot, but there are other influences.

Take, for example, crime rates. They are really really low. You have to go out of your way to be accosted, molested or otherwise victimized by crime. But people are more afraid than ever, and keep pushing for harsher laws, minimum sentences, and other stupid laws like the “3 Strikes” malarky.

We are terrified of what imaginary criminals would do: to the extent that the US is now #1 in it’s percentage of incarcerated citizens: right now, that figure is around 5%.

But there again, if we have this nice captive “workforce pool” to handle menial tasks/be first line help desk it works for everyone, right?

Well, OK, everyone except the prisoners, the legal system, the police, and the tax paying public. But, well, fuck them if they can’t take a joke.