Today over 1 in 100 individuals of this nation are being imprisoned. The average cost of housing a typical inmate is well-over $30,000 a year. Why are we using a system of imprisonment thousands of years old in ever-evolving times, both technologically and socially? Also, many of these inmates are in for minor drug offenses and other misc. charges. We need to find a more efficient punishment system that allocates resources for individuals based on their offenses. For example, many of those in prisons for marijuana, cocaine, or other minor charges should be looked at as a public health problem rather than a criminal one. Such individuals would be better served in rehab facilities instead of the harsh and often drug-ridden prison environments.
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