Back to News & Commentary

Breaking the Addiction to Incarceration: Weekly Highlights

Rebecca McCray,
Former Managing Editor,
ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û
Share This Page
April 20, 2011

Today, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. With over 2.3 million men and women living behind bars, our imprisonment rate is the highest it’s ever been in U.S. history. And yet, our criminal justice system has failed on every count: public safety, fairness and cost-effectiveness. Across the country, the criminal justice reform conversation is heating up. Each week, we feature our some of the most exciting and relevant news in overincarceration discourse that we’ve spotted from the previous week. Check back weekly for our top picks.


This article examines the long-term effects of changes made to sentencing laws in light of the fiscal crisis, and lays out a plan for the future.


Edwin Buss is shaking up the Florida Department of Corrections, home to the nation’s third-largest prison system.


This new poll from Lake Research Institute suggests a large majority of California voters would be in favor of reducing the punishment for possessing small amounts of drugs for personal use from a felony to a misdemeanor.


Although the budget crisis has created opportunities for positive change within our criminal justice system, it has also caused many states to increasingly consider privatization. The ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û of Ohio’s new report sheds a light on this problematic practice.


A new study shows Virginia’s recidivism rate is significantly lower than the national average. This article posits why the state is returning fewer people to prison within three years of their release.

Learn more about overincarceration: Subscribe to our newsletter, , and .

Learn More ÀÏ°ÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û the Issues on This Page