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The United States is a prison, the world's largest prison. You don't realize how quickly you can be accused of a crime you didn't commit, standing in front of a

by dollar 7y ago

The United States is a prison, the world's largest prison. You don't realize how quickly you can be accused of a crime you didn't commit, standing in front of a judge that doesn't care about truth or justice.

himinlomax 7y ago
It's crazy how easy it is to end up in prison in the US compared to Europe. Most people don't realize this. The consequences are also radically different. Former inmates are fucked for life in the US.
TrackerFF 7y ago
IIRC, the main culprit of the awful incarceration rates were mandatory minimum sentencing / sentencing policies that were introduced in the 80s. I guess it was a result of the "tough on crime" attitude that came after the 70s, and came just in time for the drug epidemics, and war on drugs.
dsfyu404ed 7y ago
Oh take your sensationalism and shove it. Damn near every country is like this to a large extent (and a great many are worse). If you do not have the resources to hire your own lawyer and the state accuses you of a crime you are usually screwed. If you had said the prison system is pretty bad for a 1st world country or that the US incarcerates people for far too many crimes or that there are simply too many things that are illegal I'd agree with you but the legal system in the US is pretty par for the course.
- auiya 7y ago
  The US has the world's highest incarceration rate per capita. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarceration_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarcera...
- Kunigaikstis 7y ago
  Based on your income, most countries cover a large portion of your lawyer fees in criminal court hearings. Also, hiring a lawyer won't bankrupt you the same way the educational system bends you over in the US.
bifrost 7y ago
It just got worse - many states around the country introduced laws that can strip you of your rights with no due process, incarcerate you and you have no recourse. This recently just got used on a police officer in Colorado. Its pretty terrible.

by dollar 7y ago

himinlomax 7y ago

It's crazy how easy it is to end up in prison in the US compared to Europe. Most people don't realize this. The consequences are also radically different. Former inmates are fucked for life in the US.

TrackerFF 7y ago

IIRC, the main culprit of the awful incarceration rates were mandatory minimum sentencing / sentencing policies that were introduced in the 80s. I guess it was a result of the "tough on crime" attitude that came after the 70s, and came just in time for the drug epidemics, and war on drugs.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago

Oh take your sensationalism and shove it. Damn near every country is like this to a large extent (and a great many are worse). If you do not have the resources to hire your own lawyer and the state accuses you of a crime you are usually screwed. If you had said the prison system is pretty bad for a 1st world country or that the US incarcerates people for far too many crimes or that there are simply too many things that are illegal I'd agree with you but the legal system in the US is pretty par for the course.

auiya 7y ago
The US has the world's highest incarceration rate per capita. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarceration_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarcera...
Kunigaikstis 7y ago
Based on your income, most countries cover a large portion of your lawyer fees in criminal court hearings. Also, hiring a lawyer won't bankrupt you the same way the educational system bends you over in the US.

bifrost 7y ago

It just got worse - many states around the country introduced laws that can strip you of your rights with no due process, incarcerate you and you have no recourse. This recently just got used on a police officer in Colorado. Its pretty terrible.