Brave New Films / By Erikka Yancy

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Why the U.S. Has a Quarter of the World's Prisoners

Our country is creating criminals, not citizens.

December 8, 2008 |

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I can think of no greater hell on earth than spending day after day in a little box. What about non-violent offenders? The drug addicts, the bad check writers, the people that are filling up our jails and costing us money?

The number of prisoners in prisons for drugs equals the total number of prisoners in 1980! The good news: in the past 20 years spending for higher education has increased 21%. The bad news: in that same 20 years, spending for prisons increased 127%.

We're creating criminals, not citizens.

Erikka Yancy is an associate producer at Brave New Foundation where she is currently working on several long-term campaigns.

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