America’s Prison System Problems: Explained

‘Investments in people, not jails and prisons, leads to a decrease in crime’ — We’re breaking down the history and stats behind America’s prison system and the misconceptions that keep incarceration rates growing.

On any given day, the United States incarcerates around 2 million people. But when you look at who comes under correctional control over a whole year, that number is actually closer to 10 million people—which is roughly the populations of New York City and Chicago combined.

Now let’s break that down.

Of that nearly 10 million, more than 5.5 million people end up behind bars. 600,000 of those are sent to prison, and about 4.9 million of those are put in jail. Then there’s the folks on probation or parole, which comes out to roughly 4 million people.

So how did we get here?

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[Oneofakind]

But what makes people safe doesn't make corporations money, prisons do.

[lisan]

This is why we should not have for profit prisons, juvenile centers. All supermax are for profit and so much more.

[isaac_aren]

This is also ignoring how slavery is constitutionally protected in american prisons and the slave labour produces lots of goods, especially equipment for the army

[ndagrng]

Nothing says "Land of the Free" like institutional enslavement and criminalization.

[twilajohnson]

There is a benefit to keeping the poor poor and locked up. Neither or the major political parties is going to do anything about it because it benefits them both 🤷🏾‍♀️

[CanadianRose]

It's all about the all mighty dollar. The more people that are in the prisons, the more money corporations can make. This is sooo incredibly sad. Education NEEDS to be tuition free, and encourage more people to pursue college or trade schools. Focus on bettering people, which will better the economy, and therefore better the country. Educate, and pay people better. In the end, everyone wins.

[jlongino]

The parole and probation systems are almost impossible to get out of. If you leave your house you risk getting in trouble then you stay in the cycle of it. SMH

[WWeiler]

Right on!! We need personal improvement institutions not jails.. With the right work ethic and values such as taught in the military, our country could make crime & homelessness an all-time low.. God bless America!!

[johnnylane]

They only care about one thing & that’s how can they make money. It’s sad how the judicial system is set up.

[jjbird]

Thank you for this program. It is so important to look at this subject. Jails are not just privately owned but part of the US GDP. That makes it a system that no politician would want to dismantle or even curtail. So it is in the best interest of the countries’s GDP but definitely NOT in the interest of the individual been held in these jails. Sad!!

[leosicairos]

More funding in rehabilitation is needed to prevent repeat offenders.

[fergustheragamuffin]

The problem is our Major Government Officials ALL Have some kind of stock in the prison/legal system. Meaning for Every person in prison our Governors, many presidents, senators are getting 🤑💰. I believe government officials shouldn't hold private stocks in the prison systems, not any other public works, it has caused Nothing but trouble.

[connorallgood]

You cant invest in people who support a culture that doesnt support them going to school, getting a decent job, etc. Invest all you want in school, that isnt going to lower the crime rate but maybe for a few thousand people. I went to one of the best public high schools in ny state. There were a ton of kods who still just didnt care about school. They were friends with similar minded people. End up failing or dropping out. Your argumwnt to invest in people should be an observation not an argument. The higher rates of employment and graduation do coorelate to less crime, but investing in those doesnt directlt coorelate the same.

[raisinsweeds]

its military industrial complex that caused the mass incarcation

[jowolffe]

Although I appreciate your homework on this matter as a victim of a violent crime I can honestly say there are people who should never be free to harm others

[Victor-tldk]

2:50 it goes both ways. People who have been caged often find that 'experience' as an 'excuse' to do 'violent crime.'

[tmc]

I spent sixteen years incarcerated. Unfortunately, I was locked up at a young age and juvenile, and I went through all the juvenile juvenile. By the time I got to prison at fifteen and eight months, I knew twenty-five percent of the people in prison. So I really had any no issues. And in a way, that is very sad.

[ANDRE-spmi]

🙏🙏🙏Thank God my chains are gone. Thank God I will never live in a dog kennel again. I will never get treated like a dog again. I will always work hard and respect my freedom. I will always honor my marriage and family.

[snoopyfix]

What?! Incarceration doesn't bring down crime? During the 90's and early 2000's, America had one of the lowest crime rates in it's history. It was a direct causation of the crime bill passed. I don't agree with long prison sentences for petty crimes, but you can't say the tough push against crime lowered crime rates, because it did.

[mohsinpanjwani]

We send all ours jobs offshore why not send the prisoners too would be cheaper and they will definitely be less people in jail because in other countries they treat them like slaves
Saves us tax dollars