Hated to see....

**Gotch** · May 22nd, 2011, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Unchained

Problem with that is that there has to be accountability for an action. You can't just say "I am straight now-please wipe the slate clean". Yeah the timing sucks,but it is what it is. In a perfect world,officials will consider what he has done as of late and give probation/go lean,but that also is what it is. I hear so much about how many Americans are locked up,but truth be told,we are missing many that should be. We paroled a killer a few months ago from my pod at work. This guy laughed at us as we took him to the gate. Weeks later he killed an innocent family whom he was jacking,and 3 more died because a judge went soft. There are two ways at looking at this folks

Since we (the U.S.) incarcerate about 500% more people than most other industrialized nations then it must mean one of two things. One, Americans are far, far more evil than other people or our system is far too harsh. I can't see any other options?

So which is it? American are the worst people on earth or is our system out of line?

If you have another option I'll listen, but I can already tell you that I can't see any other possible option.

PS....If my math is right we are incarcerating about 700 to 800% more people than communist China! We aren't talking about the U.S. locking up a few more people than other countries. ONE IN EVERY FOUR PRISONERS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS INCARCERATED HERE IN THE U.S.!!!! THAT DOESN"T SEEM LIKE A PROBLEM?!?!?!?!?!

**NotSoSilentBob** · May 23rd, 2011, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Gotch

PS....If my math is right we are incarcerating about 700 to 800% more people than communist China! We aren't talking about the U.S. locking up a few more people than other countries. ONE IN EVERY FOUR PRISONERS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS INCARCERATED HERE IN THE U.S.!!!! THAT DOESN"T SEEM LIKE A PROBLEM?!?!?!?!?!

That's because China executes rather than imprisons.

**Gotch** · May 23rd, 2011, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by NotSoSilentBob

That's because China executes rather than imprisons.

China executed 470 people last year that does rank them slightly higher per capitia than the U.S. but not enough to change the percentage even 1%. Sorry, simply not true. I had already thought of that as a possible retort and had already run the numbers.

**Gotch** · May 23rd, 2011, 10:46 AM

Sorry, those numbers above are wrong.

Those are official numbers from 2007. China, by best estimate executed about 3,400 people last year. That is a staggering number compared to the 46 executed in the U.S. In fact China executed more people that the rest of the world combined.

As terrible as those numbers are, if you add them to the incarcerated numbers they barely change the comparison there either though.

In other words The U.S. incarcerates or executes about 700 to 800% more people than Communist China if that makes you feel better.

If you want the numbers in totals, there are about 2.2 million behind bars in the U.s. right now. There are about 1.5 million behind bars in China (keep in mind that China;s population is 4 times ours). As you can see 3,400 executes, while absolutely horrible, wouldn't change the numbers by more than a percentage or two at most.

**NotSoSilentBob** · May 23rd, 2011, 10:50 AM

if you believe those numbers, ive got a bridge i want to sell you

**Gotch** · May 23rd, 2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by NotSoSilentBob

if you believe those numbers, ive got a bridge i want to sell you

Which numbers?

I had already admitted I was mistaken on the first total. That was an official total as claimed by the Chinese.

The second total was provided by groups opposed to the executions in China and was based on the best data available and then had some guesses added in. If it is wrong it is probably too high, not too low. The Chinese actually executed more in 2007 than 2010. The numbers have been dropping due to international pressure.

Now, if you get out the old calculator and run the numbers you'll see just how minor a difference 3,400 makes in 2.2 million (the total incarcerated in the U.S.)

Finally, I will buy nearly anything I think I can make a dollar on, but bridges have never been a big seller for me, unless there are some gold teeth attached.

**Gotch** · May 23rd, 2011, 10:52 AM

Steer, I feel your pain. In my lifetime I have been charged with two minor crimes. The first time I was guilty but found not guilty. The second time I was not guilty but found guilty. Neither time was there any attempt by anyone to find out the truth or what actually happened. Our courts are a farce.

Disclaimer: Both events occurred more than 25 years ago.