Country Quote by Peter Moskos
“These 2.3 million prisoners, somehow we've convinced ourselves that's normal and rational, more prisoners than soldiers, more prisoners than China, more than one per cent of the adult population, seven times the incarceration rate of Canada or any Western European country.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Incarceration Nation, Peter Moskos, 2015
The U.S. prison population is massive and normalized despite being disproportionate compared to soldiers, other nations, and the general populace.
In simple terms: America imprizes too many people as prisoners.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge the normalization of mass incarceration.
Themes
justice
mass incarceration
normalization
policy
societal perception
Mood
critical
concerned
reflective
Type
analytical
advocacy
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- public awareness campaigns
- criminal justice education
- advocacy work
Key Concepts
Criminology
social critique
comparative statistics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does society justify such high imprisonment rates?
- What policies could reduce the prison population?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overlook recent reforms and variations across states.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
