Public policies, not crime rate, pack U.S. jails, researchers say

And while "race does matter," Stoll said, citing the disproportionately high incarceration rate of African American males, "this (the rapid rise in prison population) is an American problem and requires an American solution," pointing out that the U.S. incarceration rate is "unparalleled" (more than 700 per 100,000), compared to the rates in Europe and the rest of the world, even as crimes rates in the U.S. dipped to historic lows.

Stoll and Raphael found through their research is that since the 1980s this spike in the incarceration rate is "attributable to changes in sentencing policy," which has resulted in longer sentences, for example.

Mandatory minimum penalties, repeat offender statutes, new sentencing guidelines, "get-tough-on-crime" policies and other politically driven efforts to address crime have only compounded the problem, they said, pushing the system to the point where the cost of maintaining such a high incarceration rate has begun to outweigh the benefits and inflict broad social costs, particularly among minority communities.

In their book, Stoll and Raphael explore alternatives aimed at reducing this incarceration trend and call for policymakers to consider other measures, including expanded policing, drug court programs and reform of sentencing laws.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

You just read:

Public policies, not crime rate, pack U.S. jails, researchers say

Distribution channels: World & Regional

EIN Presswire's priority is author transparency. We do our best to weed out false and misleading content. The content above is the sole responsibility of the author who makes it available. If you have any complaints, kindly contact the author above.