报告指美在押囚犯人口超过1%
美国的人均囚犯比例高过中国和俄罗斯。
最新公布的资料显示,美国目前的在押囚犯人数超过人口比例的1%,而9名黑人当中就有1人被关进监狱。
美国皮尤中心公布的研究资料说,2007年,美国监狱囚犯人数已升至230万人,美国目前人口为2亿3千万。
BBC记者乔治说,美国皮尤中心公布的数字令人惊讶,这不仅是为因为美国监狱的在押囚犯是全世界最多的,而且是因为囚犯数字增长极快。
全球最高
与美国相比,人口达13亿的中国拥有的在押囚犯人数排名世界第二位,为150万人;俄罗斯位居第三,在押囚犯为89万人。
报告说,吸毒和严重罪案导致了被判监囚犯的增加。但报告表示,严厉执法和判决是造成囚犯增长的主要原因。
当然这也带来了经济上的负担。美国去年在监狱惩教设施方面的花费高达440亿美元,一些监狱已捉襟见肘。
“令人惊讶”
美国皮尤中心的报告说,美国监狱在押囚犯中的少数族裔人士比例之高也令人惊讶。
报告说,每106名美国白人有1人是囚犯,每36名西班牙裔美国人有1人蹲监狱,而每15名非洲裔美国人有1人被关进大牢。
年轻黑人被判监的比例更高,20至34岁的非洲裔美国人中,每15人就有1人是囚犯。
报告还说,尽管囚犯大多数是男性,但女囚犯比例正快速增长。
在35至39岁的美国妇女当中,每265人中就有1人是囚犯。
少数族裔美国女囚犯比例也比白人女囚犯多:每100名黑人妇女就有1人是囚犯;每297名西班牙裔妇女就有1人是囚犯;与此相比,每355名白人妇女才有1人是囚犯。
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是谁说过:现代文明是用监狱和神经病院来维持的。
- Re: 报告指美在押囚犯人口超过1%(BBC)posted on 02/29/2008
xw wrote:
美国皮尤中心公布的研究资料说,2007年,美国监狱囚犯人数已升至230万人,美国目前人口为2亿3千万。
这是哪年的老皇历呀?去年美国的人口就过三亿了。 - Re: 报告指美在押囚犯人口超过1%(BBC)posted on 02/29/2008
guanzhong wrote:
xw wrote:这是哪年的老皇历呀?去年美国的人口就过三亿了。
美国皮尤中心公布的研究资料说,2007年,美国监狱囚犯人数已升至230万人,美国目前人口为2亿3千万。
I guess they meant 1% of adults. - posted on 02/29/2008
guanzhong wrote:
xw wrote:这是哪年的老皇历呀?去年美国的人口就过三亿了。
美国皮尤中心公布的研究资料说,2007年,美国监狱囚犯人数已升至230万人,美国目前人口为2亿3千万。
Yes, from the original English version:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7270607.stm
Chinese version translation error. thanks 行人!
Here is the British record:
Jail rate 'west Europe's highest'
The UK jails 140.4 people in every 100,000, the Howard League says
A higher proportion of the population of England and Wales is behind bars than that of any other western European country, a prison reform group reports.
According to a league table drawn up by the Howard League for Penal Reform, 140.4 people in every 100,000 of the population are in jail.
This rate is 50% higher than France and double that of Scandinavian countries.
The Home Office says there is a range of tough non-custodial sentences courts can use where appropriate.
Imprisonment league tables
The international imprisonment league tables have been drawn up by the Howard League from Council of Europe figures based on the situation in 1 September 2004.
Of 32 European countries listed as having the highest overall rates of incarceration, Ukraine was top with 406.3 people in jail per 100,000 of population.
Scotland had 135.6 per 100,00 in jail, Northern Ireland 75.7, Turkey 99.9, Italy 96.9 and France 90.5.
Is this really where we want to be? We have to end this country's obsession with custody
Frances Cook
England and Wales was 11th in the list - the 2,742 under 18s in custody making up 3.1% of the total prison population.
But the league said England and Wales' true rate of imprisonment was likely to be even higher in comparison to other countries, because its figures, unlike some, did not include people in drug rehabilitation centres, psychiatric hospitals and immigration detention centres or prisoners released subject to tagging orders.
England and Wales also jails more under-18s than any European country apart from Ukraine, the report says.
The figures showed 2,742 under-18s were in custody in - the highest number apart from Ukraine.
This included children in young offender institutions, secure training centres and secure children's homes.
Child prisoners
England and Wales topped the league for the number of young adults (aged 18 to 20) incarcerated with 8,514 behind bars, making up 11.4% of total inmates.
The country with the next highest rate was Turkey, with 8,397 young adult inmates, followed by Germany, with 5,443.
But the country with the highest proportion of child inmates within the prison population was Northern Ireland, where under-18s made up 5.2% of those in custody.
England and Wales also had the third largest female prison population - 4,452 - above countries such as France, Italy and Germany, which have higher national populations.
It is right for serious, persistent and dangerous offenders to be imprisoned for as long as is necessary to punish the guilty and protect the public
Baroness Scotland
The country with the most women prisoners was Ukraine, with 11,832, followed by Spain, with 4,518. Germany had 3,972, Italy 2,645 and France 2,205.
The report is published as part of a series of events marking the Howard League's 140th anniversary.
Howard League director Frances Cook said the use of prison was "seemingly indiscriminate".
She said: "Not only do we send a higher proportion of our own citizens to prison than any other western European country, we also trump Turkey, Armenia and Bulgaria in the imprisonment stakes.
"Is this really where we want to be? We have to end this country's obsession with custody. Prison should be reserved for serious and dangerous offenders."
Home Office minister Baroness Scotland said: "It is right for serious, persistent and dangerous offenders to be imprisoned for as long as is necessary to punish the guilty and protect the public."
She said the Home Office was working with the Sentencing Guidelines Council to ensure judges and magistrates were aware of the sentencing options available and used alternatives to prison where necessary.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4623404.stm
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