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A comment on Mass incarceration: A new theory for why so many Americans are in prison. Parent comment

Re:Mass incarceration: A new theory for why so many American... by iamzultan on Friday October 02, 2015 @09:12AM (#10318243)
>only 17 percent of the inmates are there primarily for drug charges.

This is either false or misleading because of how it is worded. The percentage of people serving time in state prison for drug offenses is ~53%

http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Prisons_and_Drugs#sthash.eHL...

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Re:Mass incarceration: A new theory for why so many American... by rayiner on Friday October 02, 2015 @09:17AM (#10318271)
You're reading that source wrong (understandable because the wording is awkward). 53% is for violent crime.
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Re:Mass incarceration: A new theory for why so many American... by JackFr on Friday October 02, 2015 @09:53AM (#10318514)
From your source: Almost 16% of state prisoners were convicted drug offenders (208,000 inmates), including 24% of all females in state prison (22,000 inmates) and 15% of all males in state prison (186,000 inmates).
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