63% of Black people in this country have a close family member who’s been behind bars. But does that mean we really know the truth about what prison is like? Here are 4 myths about prisons and jails - exposed!
Prisons are full of “non-violent drug offenders.”
A poll revealed that most people in the U.S. believe nearly half of the jail and prison population is people incarcerated for drug offenses. But that’s actually only 21%! The most common offense is “violent crime.” People incarcerated for “violent crime” are also the least likely to be rearrested, and the risk for violence declines with age.
Private prisons are our biggest enemy.
Only 8% of incarcerated people in this country are held in private prisons! And less than 1% are employed by private companies. The entire prison system, from youth detention to state prisons, needs to be dealt with.
Prison rehabilitates people.
Unfortunately, no. Prisons and jails claim to provide services like counseling, medical care, and drug treatment - but they consistently fail. And that’s because prisons are designed to punish and create violence, not make people better.
Survivors of violence want longer sentences for who hurt them.
Since long sentences don’t prevent violence, most victims actually DON’T want them! They actually want to address the root causes of violence to prevent it from happening.
This country sells lies about the prison system and why we “need” it. But when these myths are easily debunked, and 63% of African-Americans have an incarcerated close family member, it’s clear that we need something different - and quickly!