History UsefulNotes / AmericanPrisons

The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. One person in a hundred people are in prison, and one person out of thirty-one people are in prison, probation or on parole. (Note that a ''very'' large percentage of this is argued to be due to the "[[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnDrugs War on Drugs]]" by opponents of said movement.) The rate is especially high among black men. Important to note is the American philosophy that prisons are more for punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation than they are for rehabilitation. Whether or not it works (which is quite debatable), rehabilitation is low on the prison system's list of priorities. This skepticism results in longer sentencing as well. For example, in much of Europe, "life" is 20 years, with about seven to ten years off that for good behavior. In the US, this varies from 25 years (with parole hearings possible after half that time) to a very literal "lock 'em up and throw away the key" sentence (more typically referred to as "life without parole"). Sometimes, it's even a LongerThanLifeSentence. In the federal system, early release on parole is even forbidden for prisoners convicted for offenses committed after November 1, 1987, but time off for good behavior remains. In the 1980s, there was a trend towards determinate sentencing (a fixed sentence with a certain number of years, as opposed to "10 to life"), statutory sentencing guidelines, and mandatory minimums that made sentencing relatively predictable (and harsh, especially for drug offenses), but the trend in the 21st century has perhaps been slowly moving away from that.

Incidentally, if you hear a comedian or commentator ranting about America's litigious society, they might reference the fact that the doctor performing a lethal injection [[note]] Actually, it almost never ''is'' a doctor, or even a nurse, since executing someone generally goes against medical ethics and the Hippocratic Oath (or Florence Nightingale Oath for nurses). The one who places the IVs that will dispense the drugs, is generally a corrections officer who is trained in venipuncture expressly for the purpose of execution. [[/note]] sterilizes the needle before inserting it into the condemned. [[OutsideJoke There really are good reasons for this]]:

The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. One person in a hundred people are in prison, and one person out of thirty-one people are in prison, probation or on parole. (Note that a ''very'' large percentage of this is argued to be due to the "[[DrugsAreBad War on Drugs]]" by opponents of said movement.) The rate is especially high among black men. Important to note is the American philosophy that prisons are more for punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation than they are for rehabilitation. Whether or not it works (which is quite debatable), rehabilitation is low on the prison system's list of priorities. This skepticism results in longer sentencing as well. For example, in much of Europe, "life" is 20 years, with about seven to ten years off that for good behavior. In the US, this varies from 25 years (with parole hearings possible after half that time) to a very literal "lock 'em up and throw away the key" sentence (more typically referred to as "life without parole"). Sometimes, it's even a LongerThanLifeSentence. In the federal system, early release on parole is even forbidden for prisoners convicted for offenses committed after November 1, 1987, but time off for good behavior remains. In the 1980s, there was a trend towards determinate sentencing (a fixed sentence with a certain number of years, as opposed to "10 to life"), statutory sentencing guidelines, and mandatory minimums that made sentencing relatively predictable (and harsh, especially for drug offenses), but the trend in the 21st century has perhaps been slowly moving away from that.

* Federal law has made debtors' prisons illegal since 1833, however states laws vary. Wiki/TheOtherWiki has [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison#Modern_U.S._by_state a list of modern debtors' prisons by state.]] And as recently as 2014 there have been cases of people imprisoned for "contempt of court" ironically [[http://www.npr.org/2014/05/21/313118629/supreme-court-ruling-not-enough-to-prevent-debtors-prisons defying the Supreme Court]], in what some have called "[[http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2229 The Return of Debtors' Prisons]]".

* [[Creator/KieferSutherland]], star of ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'', got an agreement when he was convicted of a repeat drink-driving offence to take his (short) sentence during filming breaks. In the end, the writers' strike postponed Season 7 a whole year, so Kiefer did his time in one go instead.

* Kiefer Sutherland, star of ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'', got an agreement when he was convicted of a repeat drink-driving offence to take his (short) sentence during filming breaks. In the end, the writers' strike postponed Season 7 a whole year, so Kiefer did his time in one go instead.

Thirty-one US states have statutes allowing capital punishment. Some states use this more than others. For instance, Texas has executed 449 inmates since 1976, while Virginia, with the second highest number of executions, had only 105. (Partly justified as Texas's total population is about 3 times that of Virginia's.) Ironically, the definition of what constitutes a "capital murder" in Texas is one of the strictest standards in the country[[note]]though it's been argued it's ''because'' of such, giving Texas an objective basis to decide if someone should be executed[[/note]].) Also, the federal government and the US military can use capital punishment. The federal government performed 13 executions in the last seven months of the [[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump Trump]] administration (July 2020–January 2021) after having performed none since 2003. The military's last execution was in 1961, though it has six people on its death row (all for murder).

An unfortunate side effect of this was that until UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, (and, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment debatably]], even today) particularly in [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar the former Confederacy]], young able-bodied black men (and occasionally women) were arrested on trumped-up or fabricated charges, then sentenced to [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything hard labor on local plantations]], mines, or manufacturing concerns. Once in the system, prisoners would often be accused of additional crimes to lengthen their sentence, or their paperwork would simply get lost in the shuffle.

!!!!WorkingOnTheChainGang

Within the prison itself, a great deal of the work done by inmates involves the maintenance of the prison itself — cooking, laundry, etc. In addition, prisons were once the go-to labor force for government agencies that needed to make something; the classic is license plates, but everything from uniforms to aggregate was once a product of "hard labor". In at least one case of highly predictable {{irony}}, prisoners used the guard uniforms that they were charged with sewing to attempt escape. These days, a fair fraction of [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks US military hardware]], like body armor and ammunition belts — not ammunition, weapons or explosives, obviously -- is made with convict labor. Some prisons are even large enough to grow crops inside their walls, and produce a portion of their own food in this way. Many smaller, lower-security prisons are set up as work camps to provide labor to military bases or other government facilities, or for activities like land conservation or agriculture.

!!!!Ol' Sparky

There really is the "last meal" for prisoners a day before their execution. Besides alcohol or tobacco, the prisoner's wishes are usually granted (within reason). Last rites are offered, as well. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLqv0go2AxQ More info on what the last day of a death row inmate's life is like can be seen here.]]

Thirty-one US states have statutes allowing capital punishment. Some states use this more than others. For instance, Texas has executed 449 inmates since 1976, while Virginia, with the second highest number of executions, had only 105. (Partly justified as Texas's total population is about 3 times that of Virginia's.) Ironically, the definition of what constitutes a "capital murder" in Texas is one of the strictest standards in the country[[note]]though it's been argued it's ''because'' of such, giving Texas an objective basis to decide if someone should be executed[[/note]].) Also, the federal government and the US military can use capital punishment, although the former hasn't used it since 2003 and the latter since 1961 (there are six people on death row though).

* Federal law has made debtors' prisons illegal since 1833, however states laws vary. Wiki/TheOtherWiki has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison#Modern_U.S._by_state a list of modern debtors' prisons by state.]] And as recently as 2014 there have been cases of people imprisoned for "contempt of court" ironically [[http://www.npr.org/2014/05/21/313118629/supreme-court-ruling-not-enough-to-prevent-debtors-prisons defying the Supreme Court]], in what some have called "[[http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2229 The Return of Debtors' Prisons]]".

Incidentally, if you hear a comedian or commentator ranting about America's litigious society, they might reference the fact that the doctor performing a lethal injection [[note]] Actually, it almost never ''is'' a doctor, or even a nurse, since executing someone generally goes against medical ethics and the Hippocratic Oath (or Florence Nightingale Oath for nurses). The one who places the IVs that will dispense the drugs, is generally a corrections officer who is trained in venipuncture expressly for the purpose of execution. [[note]] sterilizes the needle before inserting it into the condemned. [[OutsideJoke There really are good reasons for this]]:

Incidentally, if you hear a comedian or commentator ranting about America's litigious society, they might reference the fact that the doctor performing a lethal injection sterilizes the needle before inserting it into the condemned. [[OutsideJoke There really are good reasons for this]]:

There are prisons run by the federal government (both for civilians and the military), states, counties, and cities. People convicted of federal crimes normally go to federal prison, people convicted of state crimes to to state prisons, and so on. Counties and cities usually run jails, not prisons. In recent years, however, there's been a significant amount of cooperation and contracting between the federal, state, and local governments in transferring prisoners, where one government that doesn't have space in its prison system will pay another to keep some of its prisoners (California started exporting prisoners to other states in 2010 and the Federal government often does this with immigration detainees). There are also [[LawEnforcementInc privately-operated prisons]], which contract with the state or federal governments on a per-diem rate to hold their prisoners (over 260 facilities holding nearly 100,000 prisoners nationwide as of 2010). Needless to say, this is highly controversial. As of 2016, the federal government has ceased contracting with privately-operated prison corporations.

A common dramatic device used in media is the last second reprieve. The state governor or the president can stop the execution. Sometimes, at least. Quite a few states do not allow the governor to grant clemency or pardon without the approval of a board, and the US President cannot, presumably, interfere with a state execution (though he can with a federal one, and must personally sign all death warrants for military executions).

There really is the "last meal" for prisoners a day before their execution. Besides alcohol or tobacco, the prisoner's wishes are usually granted (within reason). Last rites are offered, as well.

The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. One person in a hundred people are in prison, and one person out of thirty-one people are in prison, probation or on parole. (Note that a ''very'' large percentage of this is argued to be due to the "[[DrugsAreBad War on Drugs]]" by opponents of said movement.) The rate is especially high among black men. Important to note is the American philosophy that prisons are more for punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation than they are for rehabilitation. Whether or not it works (which is quite debatable), rehabilitation is low on the prison system's list of priorities, as many Americans are skeptical that it's even possible. This skepticism results in longer sentencing as well. For example, in much of Europe, "life" is 20 years, with about seven to ten years off that for good behavior. In the US, this varies from 25 years (with parole hearings possible after half that time) to a very literal "lock 'em up and throw away the key" sentence (more typically referred to as "life without parole"). Sometimes, it's even a LongerThanLifeSentence. In the federal system, early release on parole is even forbidden for prisoners convicted for offenses committed after November 1, 1987, but time off for good behavior remains. In the 1980s, there was a trend towards determinate sentencing (a fixed sentence with a certain number of years, as opposed to "10 to life"), statutory sentencing guidelines, and mandatory minimums that made sentencing relatively predictable (and harsh, especially for drug offenses), but the trend in the 21st century has perhaps been slowly moving away from that.

Incidentally, if you hear a comedian or commentator ranting about America's litigious society, he or she might reference the fact that the doctor performing a lethal injection sterilizes the needle before inserting it into the condemned. [[OutsideJoke There really are good reasons for this]]:

It isn't unusual for non-violent offenders to remain out on bail ''after'' sentencing for anywhere from a week to six months before reporting to prison, as seen in ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack''. Usually, this gives a convict the chance to get his/her affairs in order and spend time with their families while the system finds a spot for them.

An unfortunate side effect of this was that until UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, (and, [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement debatably]], even today) particularly in [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar the former Confederacy]], young able-bodied black men (and occasionally women) were arrested on trumped-up or fabricated charges, then sentenced to [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything hard labor on local plantations]], mines, or manufacturing concerns. Once in the system, prisoners would often be accused of additional crimes to lengthen their sentence, or their paperwork would simply get lost in the shuffle.

The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. One person in a hundred people are in prison, and one person out of thirty-one people are in prison, probation or on parole. (Note that a ''very'' large percentage of this is argued to be due to the "[[DrugsAreBad War on Drugs]]" by opponents of said movement.) The rate is especially high among black men. Important to note is the American philosophy that prisons are more for punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation then they are for rehabilitation. Whether or not it works (which is quite debatable), rehabilitation is low on the prison system's list of priorities, as many Americans are skeptical that it's even possible. This skepticism results in longer sentencing as well. For example, in much of Europe, "life" is 20 years, with about seven to ten years off that for good behavior. In the US, this varies from 25 years (with parole hearings possible after half that time) to a very literal "lock 'em up and throw away the key" sentence (more typically referred to as "life without parole"). Sometimes, it's even a LongerThanLifeSentence. In the federal system, early release on parole is even forbidden for prisoners convicted for offenses committed after November 1, 1987, but time off for good behavior remains. In the 1980s, there was a trend towards determinate sentencing (a fixed sentence with a certain number of years, as opposed to "10 to life"), statutory sentencing guidelines, and mandatory minimums that made sentencing relatively predictable (and harsh, especially for drug offenses), but the trend in the 21st century has perhaps been slowly moving away from that.

An unfortunate side effect of this was that until UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, particularly in [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar the former Confederacy]], young able-bodied black men (and occasionally women) were arrested on trumped-up or fabricated charges, then sentenced to [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything hard labor on local plantations]], mines, or manufacturing concerns. Once in the system, prisoners would often be accused of additional crimes to lengthen their sentence, or their paperwork would simply get lost in the shuffle.

Technically speaking, a jail is where someone is placed while awaiting trial or to serve sentences under one year, while a prison (also known as correctional institution, penitentiary, or correctional facility) is for persons serving a year or more. However, the words are often used interchangeably. Even people sentenced to long prison terms may spend a significant portion of their time in a local jail, and placement in a permanent prison can sometimes take more than a year before a space is found (especially if the prisoner has a problematic history in prison already or has enemies in particular prisons, narrowing the choices where they can be sent).

American prisons are also known as breeding grounds for racism and gangs. Prisons with violent inmates often have racist gangs, which tend to divide up into White, Black and Hispanic. Sitting with or hanging out with someone of a different race than your own may lead to your being attacked. Just consider yourself warned to find out the situation before doing so. (There's actually a logical but depressingly self-reinforcing reason for this: every race demands loyalty so they have troops in case they're at war with another race, and prevents their members from hanging out with other races to prevent personal disagreements from starting racial incidents in the first place, but that prevents anyone from ever seeing prison life as anything other than racially-driven, so it's a vicious cycle.) Some of these gangs, such as the Aryan Brotherhood and Mexican Mafia, have since spread beyond prison walls, with inmates taking their gang ties with them as they're released. In fact, in some states, like California, the majority of organized and gang crime 'on the street' is controlled by prison gangs from inside prison, on the logic that people involved in gangs or criminal activity are probably going to wind up doing some prison time sooner or later, where they might have friends among the gangs inside, or not. The power of prison gangs drove much of the enthusiasm for [[TheAlcatraz Supermax]] prisons in the 1990s as a (harsh and extremely expensive) solution to the problem by isolating as totally as possible anyone who was even suspected of being a gang member.

Prisons other than minimum security (and sometimes even those) are notorious for PrisonRape. The actual prevalence of it is subject to debate, with many prison officials claiming that it either does not exist or is very rare. As a result, inmates attempting to report rape are usually not believed or just get NoSympathy. Often, word of reporting it gets back to the rapist, who then punishes the victim further. A surprisingly high amount of prison rape is perpetuated by staff, and an unsurprisingly high amount of it occurs in juvenile facilities. Much actual prison rape tends to use coercion, psychological pressure, or veiled threats rather than actual violence. For a very depressing look at the subject, go [[http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/prison/ here]]. The federal government passed a law, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_Rape_Elimination_Act_of_2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003]], that sought to provide significant resources to study and help fight the problem on a national level.

The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. One person in a hundred people are in prison, and one person out of thirty-one people are in prison, probation or on parole. (Note that a ''very'' large percentage of this is argued to be due to the "[[DrugsAreBad War on Drugs]]" by opponents of said movement.) The rate is especially high among black men. Important to note is the American philosophy that prisons are more for punishment, deterrence, and incapacitation then they are for rehabilitation. Whether or not it works (which is quite debatable), rehabilitation is low on the prison system's list of priorities, as many Americans are skeptical that it's even possible. This skepticism results in longer sentencing as well. For example, in much of Europe, "life" is 20 years, with about seven to ten years off that for good behavior. In the US, this varies from 25 years (with parole hearings possible after half that time) to a very literal "lock 'em up and throw away the key" sentence (more typically referred to as "life without parole"). In the federal system, early release on parole is even forbidden for prisoners convicted for offenses committed after November 1, 1987, but time off for good behavior remains. In the 1980s, there was a trend towards determinate sentencing (a fixed sentence with a certain number of years, as opposed to "10 to life"), statutory sentencing guidelines, and mandatory minimums that made sentencing relatively predictable (and harsh, especially for drug offenses), but the trend in the 21st century has perhaps been slowly moving away from that.