Blogging for Freedom

Here are some interesting facts.  As of 8 am Sunday, June 18, 2006, there are 2,215,586 United States citizens incarcerated in American prisons.  This makes the United States the world's leader in incarcerations, ahead of everyone including non-democratic countries like China, Iran, Russia, Cuba. Black men are locked up more than other racial groups.  In some states, it is estimated that 1 in 10 black men are in jail or prison.  However, according to recently released crime stats, murder and violent offenses are up in many cities around our country.

Even more disturbing ... 

Since 1980 the number of women in prison has increased at nearly double the rate for men. Nationally, the 93,000 women in state and federal prison represent a figure more than seven times the number in 1980. The "war on drugs" has been the primary factor in this dramatic growth, with a third of women prisoners incarcerated for a drug offense. These trends raise questions regarding the consequences of incarceration on women offenders. Women prisoners often have significant histories of physical and sexual abuse, high rates of HIV infection, and substance abuse. Traditionally, alternatives to incarceration for women have been limited, as has correctional programming designed to meet their specific needs. In addition, large-scale women's imprisonment has created an increasing number of children - estimated at 125,000 - who suffer from their mother's incarceration and the loss of family ties.

Oh, and by the way ... guess which state locks up and executes the most people in the US.  You got it .... Texas.