The United States, "Land of the Free," is home to a staggering 1.6 million State and Federal prisoners, plus over a million more on probation, parole or other form of "custody," more citizens per capita than any other country even Russia or China!

How many would be left if we deported the illegal aliens, sealed our borders and legalized pot?

We don't have enough money to deport 20 million illegal aliens plus SEAL the border. The only real-world way to get rid of the illegals is to MAKE THINGS SO TOUGH on the illegals that they self-deport back to Mexico, etc. at their own expense because they get to hate it here so much.

Then too a "sealed" border won't be a priority, because no illegals would be trying to get in. And, if anything, would impede them from going back to their own country.

If there's a will... We start seizing them and many will soon leave of their own accord. Sealing the border will stop illegal contraband as well. We know it can be done.

The private prison industry has connections in high places. It goes hand in hand with the war on drugs.There are a lot of palms greased I'm sure.

And rehabilitation is the last thing they want, because high recidivism rates means job security for prison guards, etc., etc.

Deport or execute.

What if you were locked up wrongfully for something you didn't do? Would you still be calling for "execute?"

Clarification... Almost every single "Death Row" inmate in the California prisons die of old age. California alone has 724 on death row. That's what I meant by execute, but I sure didn't make it clear. Sorry.

So would you rather these criminals were free? Many were convicted of A&B;, murder, rape, and other violent offenses.

^ "Incarcerated America" Human Rights Watch (April 2003)
^ United States Crime Rates 1960 - 2009. Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports.

Violent crime was not responsible for the quadrupling of the incarcerated population in the United States from 1980 to 2003. Violent crime rates had been relatively constant or declining over those decades. The prison population was increased primarily by public policy changes causing more prison sentences and lengthening time served, e.g. through mandatory minimum sentencing, "three strikes" laws, and reductions in the availability of parole or early release. These policies were championed as protecting the public from serious and violent offenders, but instead yielded high rates of confinement for nonviolent offenders. Nearly three quarters of new admissions to state prison were convicted of nonviolent crimes. Only 49 percent of sentenced state inmates were held for violent offenses. Perhaps the single greatest force behind the growth of the prison population has been the national "war on drugs." The number of incarcerated drug offenders has increased twelvefold since 1980. In 2000, 22 percent of those in federal and state prisons were convicted on drug charges. [23][24]

What factors do you think contribute to high recidivism rates, including many petty or non-violent crimes? "Serial shoplifting," vagrancy, non-payment of child support because they guy lost his job, etc., etc.

That about 3/10 of 1% for prisoners and less than 1% for both.

I think the old maxim should apply here: If you're going to be a criminal, don't get caught.

Good. commit a crime and do time.

Only thing is Obama and his lefty pals deem being a Conservative a crime too.