America's Prisons: The Worst National Disgrace

By Anthony Gregory

The U.S. correctional system is the worst of America?s domestic disgraces. More people languish behind bars in the United States than in any other country, except perhaps China if we factor in the unknown numbers in labor camps. As the Economist?summed it up:

America has around 5% of the world's population, and 25% of its prisoners.?Roughly one in every 107 American adults is behind bars, a rate nearly five times that of Britain, seven times that of France and 24 times that of India. Its prison population has more than tripled since 1980. The growth rate has been even faster in the federal prison system: from around 24,000--its level, more or less, from the 1940s until the early 1980s--to more than 219,000 today.

Much of the blame for this falls on the war on drugs, particularly the policies spearheaded by the Reagan administration, escalating through the George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations. But ending the drug war will not address the whole problem. Drug offenses account for about half of federal inmates but closer to a quarter of state inmates. Many others face punishment for non-violent property crimes. Even some of the truly vicious criminals, however, experience conditions that the state should never inflict on anybody.

In practice, U.S. imprisonment has become an institution of slavery, torture, and rape.?New studies indicate that about two hundred thousand inmates fall victim to sexual abuse each year. The rates are highest in the juvenile system. What?s more, the assailants are not who you might think they are:

The new studies confirm previous findings that most of those who commit sexual abuse in detention are corrections staff, not inmates. That is true in all types of detention facilities, but especially in juvenile facilities.

In American popular culture, it is common to joke about prison rape, as though there?s something funny about someone with no chance of escaping being brutally violated day after day. It is also accepted as part of the implicit sentencing. But a justice system worth the name doesn?t inflict rape on anyone, even the worst criminals. Torture and sexual abuse as punishment have no place in any society that claims even a casual appreciation of what it means to be civilized.

Another outrage: At any given time, about 80,000 American prisoners endure solitary confinement, a punishment developed in the early nineteenth century and banned by much of the world as a form of torture. It fails the Eighth Amendment test on cruel and unusual punishments, considering that it is not only cruel but was unheard of at the time of the Constitution?s ratification.

In solitary, prisoners suffer day and night in tiny cells, kept from virtually all human contact, for months at a time. They are fed through?a slot in his door and isolated from light. Many prisoners are not allowed to read, watch TV, or have practically any personal possessions at all.

Within the last month,?Herman Wallace?was released when a judge vacated his conviction after 41 years in solitary in a Louisiana prison. Four decades of this type of torturous imprisonment is an immoral punishment for any crime.?As it so happens, some people end up in solitary who were never even accused of committing violence against anyone. Cameron Douglas, actor Michael Douglas?s son, ended up in prison on drug charges. After nine years of incarceration, he failed a drug test--they can?t keep drugs out of prison, of course--so they stuck him in solitary.

If solitary inmates try to pass a note to another prisoner, the punishment is another six months in solitary. Some face years and years of solitary--even a lifetime--who never did anything but acted naturally, as any animal or human would, if stripped of all their agency, confined to a minuscule cage.

The rest of the industrialized world looks upon America?s prison population in horror and disbelief. The sheer size and scope of the system dwarf practically all the penal systems in the world, the vast majority of them by an order of magnitude. The cruelty of America?s system easily surpasses that of almost any other developed country. The disproportionate nature of U.S. punishments probably makes some foreign sadistic tyrants, who lack the material means to construct such an enormity, green with envy.

It is hard to imagine anything going on within the borders of the United States that is worse than the correctional system. There are many other awful injustices--most of which have a direct or indirect relationship to the prisons. The police have become totally out of control. The public schools typically treat children as low-security prisoners or worse. Child protective services, coerced institutionalization for the ?mentally ill,? and the dehumanizing treatment of undocumented immigrants, including their confinement to concentration camps along the border, all come to mind, and almost all involve something related to or resembling the standard correctional system. Outside the borders, the U.S. wages bloody wars and engages in systematic abuse in its foreign detention camps. Yet nothing scandalous in Guantanamo should ever shock an American who knows anything at all about what happens every day in hundreds of prisons in America.

In a sane world, the domestic atrocity known as American prisons would be discussed in mainstream media outlets on a daily basis, forcing politicians to speak about this nearly unfathomable outrage. Defenders of the status quo typically demand those who radically critique this system to explain their own ideal alternative. Well, maybe there is no ideal alternative, but we do know for sure that the current system is 100% morally unacceptable and cries for constant national attention until increasingly better alternative ideas do get a chance at being seriously tried. We do know that the vast majority of people in prison do not belong in any kind of detention center, and that those who might warrant institutional confinement should nevertheless not face rape and torture on a regular basis. We know the system is rotten enough that figuring out its proper replacement should be a fixture of perennial debate until the replacement occurs.

In a sane world, no presidential or congressional election would go by without millions clamoring to know: ?What are we going to do about the prisons?? Unfortunately, most people don?t care much about the prisons and those inside them. But systems of inhumane horror have a tendency eventually to ensnare those who thought they were immune. If you think you or someone you love could never wind up in prison, you really have been neglecting to educate yourself. We must stop this madness before it eats America whole.

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cops,prisons with guards,they are needed.just not as currently used and abused .I beleive in the U.S. government, just not all the corruption that runs rampent within it.anybody else notice the glazed look on the powers that be?that is the addiction to abuse of the powers granted to them .look at the fed shutdown and how it is being used to place as much harm as possable on the best people in U.S. society. douugo, "that glazed look" you mention, is indicative of mind control.

I'm curious about your believing in the US government. Do you believe in the "ideal" that it's supposed to be? or, do you support the bad actors playing politicians, that our government is comprised of presently?

when the fed shutdown, did you cease to exist? clearly not - that should tell you: the GOVERNMENT CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT YOU!
YOU CAN EXIST WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT!

help the people who are in need on your own - that's how you can get back to the "ideal." that's what I do.

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CISPA, "National Security," and the NSA's Ability to Read Your Emails

BY TREVOR TIMM, Electronic Frontier Foundation

This week the House of Representatives is debating CISPA, the dangerous 'cybersecurity' bill that threatens to decimate Internet users' privacy in the name of security. EFF and a wide variety of other groups have been protesting the law's provisions giving companies the power to read users' emails and other communications and hand them to the government without any judicial oversight whatsoever--essentially a giant 'cybersecurity' exception to all existing privacy laws.

We've already shown how the bill's definition of 'cyber threat information' can lead the companies and government to surveil citizens for a host of reasons beyond critical cybersecurity threats. But we want to focus on one vital portion of the bill that is not getting enough attention: what the government can do with your private information once companies hand it over.

Even though CISPA is styled as a 'cybersecurity' bill, it explicitly allows the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies like the National Security Agency (NSA) to use your information for 'national security' purposes--expanding the bill far beyond its purported goal.?Bill sponser Mike Rogers introduced a package of amendments yesterday, but did not remove "national security" as one of the purposes for which information can be used.

The Erosion of Civil Liberties

In the past decade, the amorphous phrase "national security" has invaded many arenas of government action, and has been used to justify much activity that did not involve legitimate terrorist threats. The most obvious (and odious) example is the unfortunately named USA-PATRIOT Act, a law that was sold to the American public as essential to combating terrorism, but which has overwhelmingly been applied to ordinary American citizens never even suspected of terrorism.

In just one of many examples, from 2003-2006, the FBI issued more than 192,000 National Security Letters to get Americans' business, phone or Internet records without a warrant. These invasive letters--which come with a gag order on the recipient so they can't even admit they received one--have been used to gather information about untold number of ordinary citizens, including journalists. Exactly one of those cases ended in a terrorism conviction--and he would have been convicted without the NSL evidence. The ACLU has catalogued how many other PATRIOT Act provisions have been similarly abused. EFF is suing for information about one provision, known as Section 215, which Senators have warned is being secretly interpreted to invade privacy in a way that "most Americans would be stunned" to learn about.

"Information sharing"-- CISPA's mantra--has also created privacy nightmares for everyday Americans in the name of national security. The federal government routinely shares its massive national security databases with local law enforcement agencies with predictable results. An investigation by PBS Frontline and the Washington Post's Dana Priest showed that "many states have yet to use their vast and growing anti-terror apparatus to capture any terrorists; instead the government has built a massive database that collects, stores and analyzes information on thousands of U.S. citizens and residents, many of whom have not been accused of any wrongdoing."

Despite the ample evidence of these expansive "national security" powers being used on ordinary citizens, the government has only continued down the same path. Just last month, the National Counterterrorism Center drastically changed its rules so it can now copy entire data bases from other federal government agencies and keep information on citizens for up to five years--even if they're completely innocent.

Wrongdoing and Abuse Go Unchecked

Of course, with such unchecked power, abuse is inevitable. In 2010, EFF learned through Freedom of Information Act requests indications that the FBI--one of the many agencies that might receive private communications via CISPA--may have committed upwards of 40,000 possible intelligence violations in the nine years since 9/11--many of which were done under the PATRIOT Act. In addition, we've found evidence of the FBI "lying in declarations to courts, using improper evidence to obtain grand jury subpoenas, and accessing password-protected files without a warrant."

Incredibly, it recently emerged the FBI may have not only condoned this type of behavior, but encouraged it. Wired recently published an FBI memo on agent training that said, "Under certain circumstances, the FBI has the ability to bend or suspend the law and impinge on freedoms of others" and cited various wiretapping laws in national security investigations. (emphasis ours)

Increased powers of the National Security Agency

CISPA's author Rep. Mike Rogers has tried to stave off criticism of that CISPA would lead to government abuse by insisting that the bill allows citizens to sue the government if they misuse their information. But this provides very little comfort. Any such lawsuit will be difficult, if not impossible, to bring. The government can attempt to use the same "national security" exception in CISPA that allows them to use the information for other purposes to escape liability.

First, the statute of limitations for such a lawsuit is two years from the date of the actual violation.? It's not at all clear how an individual would know of such misuse if it were kept inside the government. Given that the National Security Agency is notoriously secretive--its employees even used to refer to it as "No Such Agency"--they may attempt to prevent users from finding out exactly how this information was ever used. And a provision in CISPA that provides an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act for all private information given to it by companies for anything cybersecurity related doesn't help.

Even if a user knew the government was misusing his or her information, litigation would be difficult, expensive, and time consuming given if classified information or national security is involved, the government may invoke the "state secrets privilege."

EFF has been involved for years in a lawsuit over Fourth Amendment and statutory violations stemming from another abuse of the government's claimed 'national security' powers--the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program. Given the NSA may be a recipient of "cyber threat information" in CISPA, they stand to gain more power to spy on Americans despite laws that would otherwise prevent them from doing so.

Despite six years of litigation, the government continues to maintain that the "state secrets" privilege prevents lawsuits over the warrantless wiretapping program from being heard, arguing that even if the allegations are true, the suit should be dismissed because of--you guessed it--national security concerns. The same state secrets privilege has been invoked in other cases involving the CIA's extraordinary rendition program and their authority to target Americans in drone strikes overseas with no judicial safeguards.

CISPA will create yet another tool for the government to expand its already massive national security apparatus, and in turn, erode ordinary citizens' rights, while giving them virtually no recourse if their civil liberties are violated. The House of Representatives is beginning debates on CISPSA tomorrow, with a vote coming no later than Friday.? Join EFF in opposing CISPA by calling, emailing, and tweeting at your Representatives.

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CISPA Legislation Is Disguised?Fascism

CISPA the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act if signed into law will allow??the military and NSA warrant-less spying on Americans? confidential electronic Communications; any transmitted private information circumventing the fourth amendment. CISPA will allow any self-protected cyber entity to share with the Feds any person?s private information that might allegedly relate to a cyber threat or crime. Considering the U.S. Government?s current business relationship with telephone and Internet companies, it should be expected the feds would use CISPA to gain unprecedented access to lawful Americans? private electronic communications. Almost every week news media reports corrupt police arrested for selling drugs, taking bribes and perjury. It is foreseeable that broad provisions in CISPA that call for private businesses / cyber entities to share with Spy Agencies confidential information will open the door for corrupt government and police to sell a corporations? confidential information to its competitors, foreign governments and others. CISPA provides insufficient safeguards to control disposition of (shared) confidential corporate / cyber entity information, including confidential information shared by spy agencies with private entities derived from spying on Americans.

The recently House Passed Cyber Security Bill overrides the Fourth Amendment. Government may use against Americans in Criminal, Civil and Administrative courts (any information) derived from CISPA warrant-less spying.

CISPA will open the door for U.S. Government spy agencies such as NSA; the FBI; government asset forfeiture contractors, any private entity (to take out of context) any innocent?hastily written email, fax or phone call to allege a crime or violation was committed to cause a person?s arrest, assess fines and or civilly forfeit a business or property. There are more than 350 laws and violations that can subject property to government asset forfeiture. Government civil asset forfeiture requires only a civil preponderance of evidence for police to forfeit property, little more than hearsay.

CISPA (warrant-less electronic surveillance) will enable the U.S. Justice Department to bypass the Fourth Amendment, use information extracted from CISPA electronic surveillance) of Americans? Web Server Records, Internet Activity, transmitted emails, faxes, and phone calls to issue subpoenas in hopes of finding evidence or to prosecute Citizens for any alleged crime or violation.

If the current CISPA is signed into law it is problematic federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and private government contractors will want access to prior Bush II NSA and other government illegally obtained electronic records to secure evidence to arrest Americans; civilly forfeit their homes, businesses and other assets under Title 18USC and other laws. Of obvious concern, what happens to fair justice in America if police become dependent on ?Asset Forfeiture? to help pay their salaries and budget operating costs?

Note: the passed ?Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000? (effectively eliminated) the ?five year statue of limitations? for Government Civil Asset Forfeiture of property: the statute now runs five years (from the date) police allege they ?learned? an asset became subject to forfeiture.

If CISPA takes affect, allows (no warrant) electronic government surveillance of Americans, it is expected CISPA will be used by government not only to thwart cyber threats, but to aggressively prosecute Americans and businesses for any alleged crime: U.S. Government spy and police agencies; quasi government contractors for profit, will relentlessly sift through Citizen and businesses? (government retained Internet data), emails and phone communications) to discover possible crimes or civil violations.

A corrupt U.S. Government Administration too easily use CISPA no-warrant-seized emails, faxes, Internet data and phone call information) to target, blackmail and extort its political opposition; target any Citizen, corporation and others in the manner Hitler used his Nazi passed legislation that permitted no-warrant Nazi police searches and seizure of Citizens and businesses or to extort support for the Nazi fascist government. Hitler Nazi Laws made it possible for the Nazis to strong-arm German parliament to pass Hitler?s 1933 Discriminatory Decrees that suspended the Constitutional Freedoms of German Citizens. History shows how that turned out.

CISPA warrant-less electronic surveillance) has the potential of turning America into a Fascist Police State.

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Ron Paul at the National Press Club

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Leaked: UK copyright lobby holds closed-door meetings with gov't to discuss national Web-censorship regime

Cory Doctorow

A group of UK copyright lobbyists held confidential, closed-door meetings with Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries to discuss a plan to allow industry groups to censor the Internet in the UK. The proposal has leaked, and it reveals a plan to establish "expert bodies" that would decide which websites British people were allowed to see, to be approved by a judge using a "streamlined" procedure. The procedure will allow for "swift" blocking in order to shut down streaming of live events.

Public interest groups like the Open Rights Group asked to attend the meeting, but were shut out, presaging a regulatory process that's likely to be a lopsided, industry-centric affair that doesn't consider the public. The process is characterised as "voluntary," but the proposal makes reference to the Digital Economy Act, which allows for mandatory web-blocking (thanks to the action of LibDem Lords who submitted a proposal written by a record industry lobbyist as an amendment to the DEA).

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