Comments on: Registries help feed nation’s thirst for mass incarceration

By: NH Registrant

NH Registrant — Mon, 22 May 2017 23:34:03 +0000

While I was doing time at the state prison, I talked to the lieutenant of my building about how many inmates were there on sex offenses. He stated to me it was nearly 70%. So, are sex crimes contributing to mass incarceration? They most certainly are. In fact, in our state, they outnumber every other crime if what the lieutenant was saying was true. Incidentally, I asked other high ranking staff and they echoed the same figure. It’s stunning that the local news and politicians state that drug offenses are the main reason for overcrowding in our prisons and jails when this is apparently not the case. Yet another lie upon the pile of constant lies coming from our media and politicians.

And of course, you all know WHY there are so many people in prison. In my state, it’s $45,000 an inmate on average per year. That’s a lot of money. And, according to the budget of the prison I stayed in, 96% of that money goes straight to staff pockets.

By: Receiving it is easy, but reading it??

Receiving it is easy, but reading it?? — Mon, 08 May 2017 15:32:09 +0000

In reply to Joe123. Sure you can send it to those who have the power to change laws, or their staffers at least, but getting them to read it or listen to it is another story. A bullet background paper as a coversheet would be easiest for them to read with the actual article attached for further info.

By: George

George — Mon, 08 May 2017 15:09:12 +0000

Thanks for the article. Concerning citing the 2003 Department of Justice study, it has been shown to have erred on the side of caution — more recent studies indicate that the recidivism rate is much lower than that including several that place it at lower than 1%.

We need to get current factual data out to the public and the justices deciding these all-important cases and not simply cite an outdated study, especially one conducted by the Justice Department although at the time it was eye-opening. There is a wealth of information over at SOSEN.

By: T

Mon, 08 May 2017 13:01:12 +0000

This sex offender registry sure is one of main key contributors to the mass incarceration even worse than the war on drugs. All you have to do is use propaganda to convince the public of the worst case scenario of sex offense to make them believe in passing tough laws that are controversial and make a registrant’s life miserable and they can’t get help because they’re claimed to be dangerous to society, and they make it difficult for registrants to comply to certain protocols that if they screw up they are headed to prison, and prison is extremely dangerous for registrants because they are exploited to other inmates and are attacked and killed. It’s no wonder how the prisons in America are making a lot of money, which is not only from “war on drugs” but also the sex offender registry, not to mention how the US mass incarceration has violated human rights, and the Geneva convention.

By: Joe123

Joe123 — Mon, 08 May 2017 03:22:36 +0000

Excellent article! Can we get this article in front of people that can actually change the laws though?

By: Lovecraft

Lovecraft — Sat, 06 May 2017 16:53:13 +0000

Great article. This has a good overview of many of the problems we face. It would be a good brief (with citations) for doe v snyder when the scotus most likely accepts the case.