FAILURE OF HUMANITY
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
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America’s justice system
Our justice system is Our justice system is built on legalities built on legalities —— not not fairnessfairness
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
As a result, we have seen As a result, we have seen rapid growth and severe rapid growth and severe overuse of prisons over overuse of prisons over the past 25 yearsthe past 25 years
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
There are glaring and There are glaring and unconscionable unconscionable disparities such as disparities such as ……
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
Penalties for crack vs. Penalties for crack vs. powdered cocainepowdered cocaine
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
Extraordinarily long Extraordinarily long mandatory sentences for mandatory sentences for minor or coincidental minor or coincidental involvement in a crimeinvolvement in a crime
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
And, giving juveniles And, giving juveniles with underdeveloped with underdeveloped mental capacity mental capacity sentences of life without sentences of life without paroleparole
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
This distorted version of This distorted version of justice falls most heavily justice falls most heavily on marginalized on marginalized members of societymembers of society
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
The poorThe poor
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
The weakThe weak
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
The unskilledThe unskilled
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
The mentally illThe mentally ill
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
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America’s justice system
The undereducatedThe undereducated
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
And, of course, minoritiesAnd, of course, minorities
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
Sadly, these are the Sadly, these are the people caught up in our people caught up in our obsession with obsession with punishmentpunishment
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
Some say they wind up Some say they wind up in prisons because in prisons because they commit the most they commit the most crimes crimes . . .. . .
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
America’s justice system
…… thatthat’’s not entirely s not entirely true!true!
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
In our justice system In our justice system ——
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
Police are more active in Police are more active in poorer neighborhoods poorer neighborhoods than wealthier than wealthier
communities communities . . .. . .The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
. . . . . . so more poor people get so more poor people get arrestedarrested
Unequal justice
More poor people are More poor people are convicted convicted because they because they cannot afford competent cannot afford competent defense lawyersdefense lawyers
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
Minorities receive Minorities receive longer sentenceslonger sentencesbecause prosecutors because prosecutors have discretion in have discretion in levying chargeslevying charges
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
The numbers donThe numbers don’’t t lie . . .lie . . .
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
In 1993, 851 per 100,000 black males were incarcerated in South Africa under apartheid
In 2006, 4,919 per 100,000 black males were incarcerated in America
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
Substantial racial and Substantial racial and ethnic disparities are ethnic disparities are found in virtually all found in virtually all jurisdictions within the jurisdictions within the United StatesUnited States
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
Beginning with arrestsBeginning with arrests
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice
Continuing through Continuing through incarceration and incarceration and paroleparole
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice in PA
Consider:Consider: Nine out of 10 Nine out of 10 inmates sentenced to inmates sentenced to death were too poor to death were too poor to afford an attorney at trial afford an attorney at trial in Pennsylvaniain Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice in PA
Pennsylvania ranks Pennsylvania ranks second in the second in the percentage of African percentage of African Americans on death Americans on death rowrow
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Unequal justice in PA
Blacks are sentenced at Blacks are sentenced at a disproportionately a disproportionately higher rate than nonhigher rate than non--blacks for the same blacks for the same chargescharges
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
www.Flickr.com/Mark Regan
““One in 30 men One in 30 men between 20 and 34 is between 20 and 34 is
behind bars.behind bars.””Pew Center on the States’ 2008 Report
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Men 18 and olderWHITE HISPANIC BLACK
1 in 106 1 in 36 1 in 15
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Men99 percent of the 140,000 veterans in state and federal prisons are male
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Women 18 or olderWHITE HISPANIC BLACK
1 in 859 1 in 436 1 in 203
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Women 18 or olderMajority have suffered physical and mental abuses
One out of three diagnosed with mental health problem
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Juveniles Children under 18 sentenced to life without parole:
In US prisons 2371
In the rest of the world 0
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Juveniles in PAMore than 400 juvenile lifers
More than half sentenced in Philadelphia County
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Who is in prison?
Percentage of prisoners by race
Black
White
Hispanic
Other
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
The original intent of penitentiaries
Contrary to popular Contrary to popular belief, penitentiariesbelief, penitentiarieswere initiallywere initiallysupposed to be more supposed to be more humane because they humane because they eliminated physical eliminated physical punishment and torturepunishment and torture
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
19th century prisons
In the 19In the 19thth Century criminal Century criminal punishment in America was a model punishment in America was a model for the worldfor the world
Governments around the globe sent Governments around the globe sent delegates to study Americadelegates to study America’’s muchs much--admired prison systemadmired prison system
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
The modern prison
But, the But, the next few next few centuriescenturiestold another storytold another story……
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
The modern prison
Modern penitentiaries have moved away from physical torture, but heightened mental and emotional suffering …
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
The modern prison
Confinement far from home
Lack of jobs and other productive activities
Catch-22 type regulations that require completion of programs that are unavailable
OvercrowdingThe Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
The modern prison
The Dramatic Rise in Incarceration
2, 273, 407
1, 965, 667
332, 945252, 615
272, 955
110, 099180, 889
112, 362
338, 029 474, 368
1, 148, 702
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2007Year
Numbers ofPeople in
Prison
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Source: Justice Policy Institute at the U.S Department of Justice Data and www.prisonsucks.com
US vs. world numbers
More than any other nation
2.3 million people are incarcerated
US is global leader in incarceration rate — 750 per 100,000
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
US vs. world numbers
The Unite d States vs. World's Prison Populations
Chi na19%Ir a n
2%
S outh Af ri ca 2%T hai l an d 2%
Me xi co 3%
Indi a 4%
Br a zil 5%
The Uni te d S ta te s28%
Russi a11%
Al l othe r countr i e s24%
Th e U n i t e d St a t e s
C h i n a
R u ssi a
I r a n
B r a zi l
I n d i a
Me x i c o
Th a i l a n d
So u t h Afr i c a
Al l o t h e r c o u n t r i e s
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Source: The Justice Policy Institute and the International Centre for Prison Studies, London
US vs. world numbers
0
200
400
600
800US
WorldAverage EU
CompetitorCountries
HRAbusers
Rate of Incarceration per 100,000 of National Population
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Source: The National Council on Crime and Delinquency
Pennsylvania numbers
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
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There are nine federal prisons
Pennsylvania numbers
There are more than 14,000 federal prisoners costing about $40,000 annually per inmate
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Pennsylvania numbers
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
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There are 26 state prisons in mostly rural areas
Pennsylvania numbers
More than 46,000 state inmates costing about $34,000/year per inmate
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Pennsylvania numbers
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
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And 67 county prisons — one in each county
Pennsylvania numbers
More than 35,000 county inmates costing about $25,000/year per inmate
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Pennsylvania numbers
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
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There are a total of 102 federal, state and county prisons
PennsylvaniaState Budget Projections
The FY 2009 Capital Budget calls for construction of three new state prisons
$200 million eachThe Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
PennsylvaniaState Budget Projections
Budget also requests four new housing units
$800 million more may also be needed if policy and sentencing changes are not enacted
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Corrections projections for Pennsylvania
State prisons are expected to grow by 170 inmates a month for the next four years
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Corrections projections for Pennsylvania
It will cost taxpayers:$650,000,000 in capital expenses$180,000,000 in annual operating costs
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Cost of corrections
In 2007, the US spent more than $49 billion on corrections and is expected to spend another $25 billion by 2011.
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Pew Center on the States 2008 Report
Cost of corrections vs. higher education
In 2007, the rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Cost of corrections vs. society
►Weakens fabric of communities
►Creates a huge tax burden
►Drains money from education, child care and welfare
►Increases crime, poverty and unemployment
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Distorts government representation
Increases political disenfranchisement — loss of voting rights
13.6 percent of black men in the US can’t vote because of a felony conviction
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The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Distorts government representation
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
Prisons are Prisons are being overused, being overused, but not becausebut not becauseof increases in of increases in crimecrime
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
Instead, this overuse Instead, this overuse results from poor results from poor policy choices policy choices . . .. . .
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
. . . . . . and a penchant to and a penchant to punish rather than punish rather than rehabilitaterehabilitate
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
Many people think problems are solved and the story ends when someone goes to prison
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
But prison is closer to the beginning of the story
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
Nine out of 10 inmates return home and face extraordinary obstacles to re-entry
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
Failure of humanity
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
We must put fairnessat the forefront of justice . . .
Failure of humanity
. . . or accept a continued or accept a continued Failure of HumanityFailure of Humanity
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
FAILURE OF HUMANITY
The Pennsylvania Prison SocietySocial justice since 1787
“A man who has lost his self-respect has nothing valuable to lose in society.”
Dr. Benjamin RushSigner of Declaration of Independence and Founder, Pennsylvania Prison Society