re: Louisiana is the world's prison capital

Liberals refuse to see realities. Reality says that a kid with an 85 IQ probably isn't headed for medical or law school.

For profit, privately owned prison systems have a lot to do with this I would venture to guess.

Just to be clear, I am suggesting things actually supported by science and people who study these issues.
I'm sure that your desire to continue the policies that have lead to this situation will somehow magically make things better in the future.

This thread is just dripping with racism, which completely perpetuates another generation of resent and racism back towards white people. Yet everyone is just going to throw their hands up in the air and go, well not my problem... Let's just lock some up and hope this issue just fixed itself.

I am not a liberal, I've never supported any democrat beyond the local level. The simple truth is that I am a small government conservative that wants to give kids more opportunity to make something of themselves instead dragging around the weight of the modern U.S. Justice system for stupid mistakes they made at or before the time they could even vote.

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but that is focusing on one small issue of a systemically broken system

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The whole CJ system has failed. Its busted

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But you know if we just blame black people it becomes a lot easier to pretend that there is no issue and move on!

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We've thrown away a generation of poor, white and black. Once your in the system, you are fricked unless you have the money to make it go away.

Pretty much. I enjoy it when people blame these things on judges and prosecutors wanting to be "tough on crime" while voting in legislators that come up with increasingly retaliatory mandatory minimums and having meltdowns when a criminal doesn't get their "just desserts." We are a society addicted to punishment rather than a genuine desire to see these people get their lives on track.

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This thread is just dripping with racism

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True to some degree, but here's the real problem: many immediately start yelling racist when someone is attempting to address an actual issue, or initiate a thoughtful dialogue, just because race might indeed be in involved in the topic.

Case in point. I was doing my LHSAA track eligibility paperwork a few years back, and when I finally got to the birth certificates it was business as usual. In one group of my athletes, roughly 22 out of 25 kids, the mother and father did not have the same last last name. However, within a second group, about 12 out of 15 had parents that were, in fact, married (at least at the time of birth). This is not an isolated incident, because these numbers (although rising), have been consistent across multiple schools/parishes during my career.

Am I racist for bringing this fact up? If you know me, then hell no is your answer. But it's difficult to even broach the topic without being labelled...

Thank you for bringing up that point.

As someone else that's been involved in the school & athletic system I can tell you an idea that is voiced in MANY quiet circles of public/charter school teachers & coaches:

I've been involved in MANY discussions where teachers & coaches are beyond fed up with the supreme lack of involvement of parents (all parents, not just 1 race) in regards to their kid's education. The majority of school discipline issues stem from students that come from households with poor/lacking positive influence &/or involvement. Of those homes, an overwhelming majority are on welfare.

So, what's a solution?

For any student of a home that is a welfare recipient & a set number of school discipline issues/suspensions/expulsions or any manner of drop out from a public or charter school are earned, then that family's welfare status is negatively affected. Could be a percentage cut off of their EBT cards, cell phones are cut off, etc.

While many will cry racism-the approach can be marketed well ahead of the implementation date giving families ample time to adjust their way of thinking & execution of their household towards the education of their children.

Just imagine the implications of how many children will change their behaviors for fear of the wrath of their parents losing any aspect of welfare. On top of that, over time we will actually have a HS educated lower class graduating to enter the work force. This would also open the door to allow for steering of certain students who just can't make it thru HS, behaviorally &/or academically, into trade craft programs that prepare them for a specific area of the work force that are in high demand (electrician, plumber, pipe fitting, trucking, welding, general construction, auto repair, carpentry, etc).
As these children grow up & support themselves-their reliance on welfare systems wane & society benefits.

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This is a nation-wide problem with no simple solution.

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Legalize & Regulate drugs...ALL drugs. Do away with the private prison system. Massively invest in education. Elect Bernie Sanders.

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How does something like this happen in this country? Pretty scary. This is a nation-wide problem with no simple solution.

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Obligatory "DEY DINDUNUFFIN".

Aside from that, it's an absolute shame, but it happens because nowadays, it's consider a badge of honor amongst the dindunuffins to serve time...street cred is like a diploma to them. Until we break that mentality, the trend is going to continue in a downward spiral. The stat about being 5x Iran's incarceration rate is legitimately shocking.