The Prison Industrial Complex
The Prison Industrial Complex While crime statistics have been going steadily down, the number of people in prison has been steadily rising. Why? Since 1980, the number of Americans in prison has tripled and is expected to double again by 2005. According to an article by Beth Schuster, during a period of time in which the actual homicide rate dropped 13%, media coverage of murders increased 300%, creating the illusion of a crime wave. The increasing numbers of women being sentenced for non-violent, drug related crimes, is leading to an abominable cycle in which mothers are sent to prison, families are broken up, and children are put into the foster care system, perpetuating cycles of poverty and emotional scarring. It costs more than $400,000 to send a person away using the Three Strike ruling. College and drug rehabilitation cost a mere fraction of that amount. Whose interests are being served? Not tax-payers, inmates, or our communities. GUEST: Dorsey Nunn, Director of Prisoners with Children. GUEST: Khalid Taki Adin is San Francisco policy analyst with FJCJ. GUEST: Harriet Davis, member of the National Network of Women in Prison.