In1978the
State with the highest incarceration rate wasSouth
Carolinawith 235
inmates per 100,000 people. In2012it
wasLouisianawith
870 inmates per 100,000 people. Over the past 34 years one of
the biggest growth industries in the United States has been the US
criminal justice system. TheUnited
Statesleads
the world in both the percentage and number of it's citizens
incarcerated.
The
average rate of people imprisoned by the States has gone up about 4
times since1978to2012from
110 to 395 per 100,000 people; whilethe
crime rate has been reduced by 36%.
The rate of rape does not appear to have been affected by the way the
justice system now
functions. Some reduction in crime are due
to the development of technology. This is most obvious in the vehicle
theft category and may also explain some of the reduction in burglary.
Overall, robbery has declined in most states since1978and
the crimes of larceny have also seen some reductions. The
most important decline in crime is that there have been fewer murders,
this may be in part due to the population getting older. While
murder has declined we appear to be assaulting each other as much as
ever.
The
States with the highest crime rates in2012wereTennessee,South
Carolina,New
Mexico,Nevada,
and Delaware.
These states rank high due to wieght the new crime
index gives to violent crime, especially to aggravated assault, the
violent crime people are most likely to be subject. In terms
of index to inmatesTennessee
ranks
44th highest,South
Carolina,
36th,New
Mexico49th,Nevada30th,
andDelaware32nd.
The
States with the lowest crime rates in2012wereMaine,Vermont,Idaho,New
Hampshire,
andWyoming.
Maineis
45th in crimes to inmates,Vermont24th,Idaho2nd,New
Hampshire34th,
andWyomingis
6th in crimes to inmates. It makes sence that the State with
the lowest crime rateMainealso
has the lowest rate of people imprisoned, but what sets Maineapart
is that people who commit crimes in Maine are among the least likely to
be imprisioned or to serve a long time for crimes committed.
What doesMainedo
right that the other States don't?