Comments on: American attitudes toward prisons

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:15:12 +0000

Welcome to the Hannibal Blog, Kevin.

As it happens, you seem to have read my mind. I’m just putting to bed a piece for this week’s issue of The Economist (cut short, unfortunately) about the “iron triangle” of the prison-guard union, the prison builders and the GOP.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:04:23 +0000

New to reading your blog, which is great. I am American (from Texas)living in London for the last 3 years. And I have to say I do feel safer here (or in Europe in general) than living in the States.

In Virginia, home of the tragedy at Virginia Tech in 2007, the is a bill working its way through to allow concealed handguns in bars. Unbelievable.

One thing you may have thought about during your research is how much money is in the prison system. It is a cash cow. Just food for thought.

By: Dan @ Survive Prison

Dan @ Survive Prison — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:23:16 +0000

Pretty scary stuff…

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:02:25 +0000

According to this, China leads, followed by Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and the United States. The US, once again, is keeping fine company.

By: let’s aim for a 100% incarceration rate « The Question Beggar

let’s aim for a 100% incarceration rate « The Question Beggar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:14:54 +0000

[...] To the casual observer, it might seem that’s what the United States is aiming for. I read the following statistics on this post: [...]

By: hackademic.net — journalism • learning • teaching = journalism education » Most people don’t realize how much harder it is to write a short article than a large article

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:01:21 +0000

[...] Read more here [link] Tags:AndreasKluth, Economist, hackademic, Journalism, jtwit, length [...]

By: thefrenchchick

thefrenchchick — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:03:32 +0000

I’d be interested to know which countries tend to simply kill their criminals rather than incarcerate them. That would certainly cut down on the per capita incarceration rate would it not? That’s one nuance that should not be overlooked in any country.

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:33:42 +0000

Ahem.

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:31:18 +0000

Sobering. Dreadful. Thanks for the link.

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:27:48 +0000

Hmm. I might just raise that idea with the editor some time. But I admit I’ve grown to like this “private” forum, where my Id can speak unobstructed by my Economist Superego. Here I only embarrass myself.

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:26:31 +0000

Good points. You’re introducing nuance into the discussion, which is what it needs in America.

(I’d be curious what the incarceration rate, recidivism rate, and crime rate is in Israel, compared to America’s.)

By: Jonathan McKay

Jonathan McKay — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:21:28 +0000

*Ahem*

This is the shortest, least informed, least blog post I’ve read in the last 7 months. Maybe just skip it next time and remain on vacation, or email me and I’ll write you one as opposed to having the summer intern do it… I mean a one year to life sentence should and would motivate the majority of inmates to better themselves in prison and have a plan for release.

OK, maybe I withdraw my previous criticism, or at least the part directed at the number of words. The Hannibal Blog, however, is still on the hook for not making it clear or giving me the necessary context: shame on you!

… I just couldn’t resist.

By: Billy

Billy — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:34:06 +0000

This is not exactly related to your post on California’s prisons, but maybe in a way it is. The Time magazine article below is on Mexico’s prisons which are basically powder kegs for violence and drug distribution.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1916194,00.html?xid=rss-world

By: Christopher

Christopher — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:55:38 +0000

“…….So much therefore gets left on the cutting floor………”

What a pity that the sentiments you expressed in your blogging entry couldn’t be contained in your Economist piece.

But, couldn’t such sentiments find a home in a wider forum, if , like “Gulliver” and “Bagehot”, you had your own blog on the Economist’s web page?

Could you not apply for the privilege to have such a blog?

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:09:11 +0000

I agree with much of your points. I believe much of the problem lies with the US’s hypocritical attitude to drugs. I am guessing if all drugs were legal and regulated as are alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs, prison population would go down at least 50%.

On the flip side, consider that many of the western countries are way too easy on those individuals you could consider as “bad people”. In Israel, courts are unusually lenient on some of the worst crimes. I have recently read that the average manslaughter (which covers everything all killings that are not premeditated) is five years and rape is a little more than two years.