Global Context
When looking at different criminal justice systems throughout the globe, more specifically incarceration rates, we clearly see a difference between our criminal justice system and those of other countries. According to the World Prison Populations. (2005, June 20). BBC News. the United States is the leading country in prison populations and incarceration rates.
Country Prison population Population per 100,000
US 2,193,798 737
CHINA 1,548,498 118
RUSSIA 874,161 615
BRAZIL 371,482 193
INDIA 332,112 30
MEXICO 214,450 196
This table is showing that the United States prison population is almost two times larger than that of China who has a larger population. It also shows how in the U.S. for every 100,000 people 737 are incarcerated. So what is this saying about the U.S. as a whole? Is there just more crime that occurs in the U.S. than in other countries? No, it’s the creation of certain laws and the constant targeting of certain people that has created this large discrepancy between nations prison populations.
The large amount of race disparities in sentencing, arrests and prison populations create more economic problems for the country as a whole because the money to maintain prisoners comes from taxes, so the more inmates that there are the more tax money that has to be directed towards prison institutions instead of other options such as creating more jobs or towards other helpful programs that will help renovate the country. The social impact that the issue of racial disparities is causing is that its creating a misrepresentation of certain races and the country. These numbers are creating the image that this country is filled with criminals and also that those criminals are specifically African Americans and Latinos.
This issue cannot be solved at the global level because obviously other countries are not facing extreme measures of racial disparities in their criminal justice system like we are here in the American criminal justice system. This issue has to be solved at a local or national level.
Country Prison population Population per 100,000
US 2,193,798 737
CHINA 1,548,498 118
RUSSIA 874,161 615
BRAZIL 371,482 193
INDIA 332,112 30
MEXICO 214,450 196
This table is showing that the United States prison population is almost two times larger than that of China who has a larger population. It also shows how in the U.S. for every 100,000 people 737 are incarcerated. So what is this saying about the U.S. as a whole? Is there just more crime that occurs in the U.S. than in other countries? No, it’s the creation of certain laws and the constant targeting of certain people that has created this large discrepancy between nations prison populations.
The large amount of race disparities in sentencing, arrests and prison populations create more economic problems for the country as a whole because the money to maintain prisoners comes from taxes, so the more inmates that there are the more tax money that has to be directed towards prison institutions instead of other options such as creating more jobs or towards other helpful programs that will help renovate the country. The social impact that the issue of racial disparities is causing is that its creating a misrepresentation of certain races and the country. These numbers are creating the image that this country is filled with criminals and also that those criminals are specifically African Americans and Latinos.
This issue cannot be solved at the global level because obviously other countries are not facing extreme measures of racial disparities in their criminal justice system like we are here in the American criminal justice system. This issue has to be solved at a local or national level.