US #1 in Prison Population
Source: NYTimes
The United States is home to only 5% of the world’s population yet houses 25% of the world’s prison population. One in 100 citizens are in prison.
Americans are locked up for crimes — from writing bad checks to using drugs — that would rarely produce prison sentences in other countries. And in particular they are kept incarcerated far longer than prisoners in other nations.
badnews @ April 23, 2008