US now has both the largest prison population and the highest incarceration rate.
“Why are so many people in prison? Blame mandatory sentencing laws and the record number of nonviolent drug offenders subject to them,” she said.
In “Inmate is unstable; the system is just nuts” LA Times columnist Steve Lopez wonders why Stephan Lilly, who is obviously seriously mentally ill, is in the general prison population. He’s serving 25 to life on a third strike that could have been tried as a misdemeanor not a felony. His condition makes him vulnerable to violence, and it’s a given he will get little treatment for his mental illness. This is sick.