The US parole and probation system is twice as big as the prison system. Under the parole and probation system people are monitored by cops regularly, their wages are garnished, they have obligations to report to court, to officers, to the state.

That means the criminal justice system in the US is managing criminals at 3x the per capita rate as any other country. Sure, the prison population ebbs and flows a little, other countries edge higher temporarily, but the US total system is massive beyond belief.

Then there's recidivism. The US is in the top tier for recidivism rates. There are a few other countries that compete with the USA, like UK and Brazil. But none of them couple their high recidivism rate with the massive incarceration rate nor with the gargantuan parole and probation rate.

And then there's pay-to-stay. In the US a large portion of prisonerd are levied a day rate for being in prison, between $100 and $400 depending on the state. No one else does this. People leave prison with a massive debt to the state, which is why the end up on parole or probation, and why their post-incarceration wages are garnished.

It's a brutally sick system. That dwarfs everything in existence, even if some other systems come close on a single metric.

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LibertyLizard -4 points 4 days ago

All true but I'm not sure I believe other oppressive nations don't have similar issues that aren't directly captured in the incarceration rate alone.

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frisbird 8 points 3 days ago

Oh totally. The oppressive country of the USA, as an example, has a maternal death rate and life expectancy both lower than Cuba. Cuba has a lung cancer vaccine that the US refused to allow for its citizens. And Cuba also has a higher literacy rate. And it does all that while under the most oppressive sanctions in the world.

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LibertyLizard -1 points 3 days ago

I do agree that the Cuban medical system is impressive. I just wish they would not lock up so many people. Would make their system as a whole a lot more interesting if they had actual political freedoms.

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green_goglin 7 points 3 days ago

Lifehack: Invest every penny you have than get incarcerated and let your investments compound absent any cost of living and/or overhead.

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Doomsider 2 points 3 days ago

This is the lifehack right here.

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Nonconfrontational 2 points 3 days ago

Highest incarceration rate of any country to ever exist**

Plus they use those prisoners for slavery!

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