The Local Crank

Musings & Sardonic Commentary on Politics, Religion, Culture & Native American Issues. Bringing you the finest in radioactive screeds since 2002! "The Local Crank" newspaper column is distributed by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.

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Location: Cleburne, Texas, United States

Just a simple Cherokee trial lawyer, Barkman has been forcing his opinions on others in print since, for reasons that passeth understanding, he was an unsuccessful candidate for state representative in 2002. His philosophy: "If people had wanted me to be nice, they should've voted for me."

Monday, December 11, 2006

And Throw Away the Key

Kvatch over at Blognonymous discusses the truly appalling incarceration rate in this country, which dwarfs that of communist dictatorship in both per capita and real numbers! It would be one thing if all this lockin' 'em up was actually making us safer, but America remains the most violent of all the Western Industrialized Democracies, even after a 30 year decline in crime rates. And, to be fair, European crime rates seem to be increasing.

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posted by The Local Crank | 11:35 AM

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't know the exact figures, but I'll bet non-violent drug offenders account for a staggering proportion of the people under lock and key in this country. I'm glad to see Senator Whitmire taking steps to ensure more money is spent on treatment and less on throw-away-the-key solutions.

12/11/2006 4:07 PM  
Blogger The Local Crank said...

According to Drugwarfacts.com, drug offenders in 2003 accounted for 55% of the Federal prison population and 20% of state prison populations, based upon the DOJ's Bureau of Justice Statistic's figures. Texas' incarceration rate was 724 per 100,000 in 1998, compared to 461 per 100,000 as the national average, but apparently the 20% figure held true here, at least 8 years ago.

12/11/2006 9:10 PM  

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