User:Prichards527/sandbox

The Lockdown
The entertainment industry produces TV shows and Movies about police officers and the criminal justice system portraying them as something they're not. They would like you to believe that police officers are dealing with their own struggles and end up being a hero too. Many inmates who have been incarcerated can tell you that the trials they were given were nothing like the ones you see on TV and jail/prison isn't all it's cut out to be. Due to the war on drugs, the incarceration rate more than doubled and many of these crimes were not big drug busts; only individuals caught up for having marijuana or alcohol.

Time Served
With the way the legal system was created, judges are forced to sentence small scale drug crimes harshly. Those who have committed violent crimes are usually back on the street before someone who was arrested for possession or intent to sell. Many would say that the sentences given to these small scale arrests were violating the 8th amendment which states that there will not be cruel and unusual punishment. It is not unheard of to be given a 50 year sentence for a small drug charge.This makes it almost impossible for someone to return to society and have a chance with life after being incarcerated for so many years for minor offenses.

The Prison Label
You don't even need to have been in Prison to be labeled a felon. Once someone has committed a felony, it's forever on their record. They are unable to get government assistance once they've been released and it's unlikely they will be able to find a job either. Many inmates return to prison due to minor probation or parole violations. These type of things are why the incarceration rate is so high and convicts have a likely chance to return.