Us Prison Population News Today

Decades long war on drugs. more than 450,000 people in america are locked up for a drug offense. brian stevenson says criminalizing drug addiction is misguided. >> we said those people with criminals. and we didnt have to say that. we could have said their drug addiction and drug dependency is a health problem. >> is that why are jails are so full? >> absolutely. if youre looking for one explanation, this misguided war on drugs is one of them. >> but things have been changing. you may have heard...

Addiction and drug dependency is a health problem. >> is that why are jails are so full? >> yes. >> but things have been changing. you may have heard of the first step act signed into law late last year by president trump, which is projected to reduce the sentences of thousands of nonviolent offenders in federal prisons. but that doesnt affect more than 90% of the u.s. prison population, which is locked up in state and local facilities. some states had already been relaxing sentencing guidelines...

And we didnt have to say that. we could have said their drug addiction and drug dependency is a health problem. >> is that why are jails are so full? >> yes. >> but things have been changing. you may have heard of the first step act signed into law late last year by president trump, which is projected to reduce the sentences of thousands of nonviolent offenders in federal prisons. but that doesnt affect more than 90% of the u.s. prison population, which is locked up in state and local facilities...

Prisoners, a big number, but less than 10% of the total u.s. prison population. a reduction in the mandatory minimums, freskly the three strikes. it lowered the penalty from live in prison to 25 years. and it addressed a disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine. that disproportionally affected black inmates. finally the bill also addresses how inmates are incorporated or reincorporated back into society. they would be eligible for immediatedness reductions. most of the prisoners would ...

To. >> right and then the prison system, that has to run on something. >> and for me, at least, i worry about that. if i ever did hand to hand in the street, see, i cant even pronounce it, im just so excited that washington and colorado, i can go there, no problem and buy. so -- >> and a lot of people are precisely for that reason. look at the chart of the u.s. prison population. just a really important graphic. like, look what happens. when you declare war on drugs, we start putting more people...

Judge has expressed frustration that the law at the times did not allow them to issue punishments that more appropriately fit the crime. now, this in addition to steps taken earlier this year by attorney general eric holder are part of a renewed effort to reform sentencing requirements for nonviolent offenders. since the 1980s started the war on drugs, the u.s. prison population has more than quadrupled from 500,000 to 2.4 million. one of the primary reasons for the increase? mandatory minimum s...

Another jail three days after their releases where they were fingerprinted, photographed and registered as felons, a requirement under the law. the florida department of corrections is going back and reexamining past prison release orders, and they are now requiring prisons to have all orders that call for an inmates early release verified by sentencing judges. that sounds like a good idea. >> indeed. thanks so much, brian. inmates escaping from prison not terribly unusual. but it is getting l...

His client now on death row for killing his pregnant wife laci peterson, a crime so vile it cost geragos his most famous client, michael jackson. >> i told him, look, im not going to dump one client for another. if youre not comfortable, youve got to do what youve got to do. >> reporter: geragos in his newest book "mistrial" makes the case that theres something deeply wrong with the fact that the u.s. prison population has quadrupled since 1980. no other country in the world has imprisoned so ma...

A murder committed. >> reporter: geragos famously lost that case. his client now on death row for killing his pregnant wife laci peterson, a crime so vile it cost geragos his most famous client, michael jackson. >> i told him, look, im not going to dump one client for another. if youre not comfortable, youve got to do what youve got to do. >> reporter: geragos in his newest book "mistrial" makes the case that theres something terribly wrong with the fact the u.s. prison population has doubled si...

Some of the grittiest places in new york city and now were trying to reclaim their lives. after seminary, i started working with the women with the integrity house program in hudson county, and its been one of the most rewarding aspects of my life. >> when you look at the statistics of the u.s. prison population and what happens to their lives after they serve, do you feel there is movement to ameliorate our justice system and the way people are treated once they reenter society. i want to read ...