And now for a statement from Captain Obvious...

Here is a link reporting on the rise in population in prisons. CNN calls the US penal system "the world's largest." Hmm. Interesting. It also states that over 2 million people are in jail right now. That's about 1% of the entire US population.

And there's nothing wrong with this? Do you mean to tell me that the United States has MORE people in prison than China (which has over 1 BILLION people vice 200 or so million)? And there's nothing wrong with this??

And now, here's the quote from the most recently elected Captain Obvious:

"Unless we promote alternatives to prison, the nation will continue to lead the world in imprisonment," said Jason Ziedenberg, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute, a think-tank that studies prison issues.

Wow, what a concept. Here's another interesting quote from CNN:

Criminologists attribute the growth in the prison population to "get tough on crime" policies that have subjected hundreds of thousands of nonviolent drug and property offenders to long mandatory sentences.

So, maybe, we should find TREATMENT options for these people, instead of just shoving them into a 6x6 cell? Hallelujah, it's a revelation!

I know someone who was put into jail for failure to pay a traffic fine that he couldn't afford to pay. A TRAFFIC FINE! He has to repay an $800 fine (for what I don't know) at a rate of $5 a day. That's 160 days in jail. For a TRAFFIC FINE? That he cannot afford to pay, mind you. Hell, there's a good idea. You know what would be a BETTER idea? Suspending his license (oh, wait...that's what the fine was for... driving with a suspended license). Or, you could even confiscate his car for these 160 days. But putting someone in prison where there's NO WAY they could legitimally WORK to pay this fine off is STUPID.

I have a traffic fine of $127 for 'running a red light' (that was yellow, by the way). So, since I'm unemployed and have no money, if the courts decide to take the word of the cop over myself AND my ex, then I can expect to spend 25.4 days in jail...not working...not finding work...not taking care of my son...

If that happens, all hell will break loose. I think the time has come to move to Canada...or some country where the laws/legislature aren't so moronic.