If we, the Untied States, continue with stiffer penalties, such as mandatory minimum sentences, and the 3 Strikes Law, the majority of the population will soon be behind bars. Many non-violent criminals that can be treated with prevention and intervention are now serving longer and longer sentences due to these stiffer penalties. We, the people of the United States, are paying for the housing of these non-violent individuals when they can be treated and mainstreamed back into society. This is due to the Prison Industrial Complex exploiting the people of the United States. "Some of the nations largest architectural and construction firms, Wall Street investment banks, and companies that sell everything from security cameras to padded cells" are out to make the almighty dollar at the people's expense (Schlosser, Eric). They are creating new criminals to fill their new prisons in order for them to meet their political agendas and their financial gains. The media aids them in t!
             We, the people, need to address this exploitation and come up with reasonable and fair sentencing for all criminals. The politicians, the moneymakers, and the media need to be held responsible for their part in breaking down our society. Every year more and more people are being put behind bars. "A nation that is now holding 2 million of its citizens behind bars," is just putting a temporary band-aid over the real problem (Katz, Jesse). Our society is not willing to address the root causes of these problems. If "461 of every 100,000 Americans are now serving a prison sentence of at least one year" what will our society come to if this number keeps rising to a point where a quarter of the population is locked up (Katz, Jesse)? I feel that society needs to address the problems that it is creating in order to keep justice in America.
             Politicians use such stringent laws as, the 3 Strikes Law and mandatory minimum sentencing, in order to make the general popul...