The Netherlands Is Closing Prisons

The Netherlands is closing prisons.

And we think our “tough on crime” policies have been such a good idea. Like continuously increasing our military spending has made us safer.

We have less than 5% of the world’s populations, but almost a quarter of its prisoners, according to the NY Times. We have the highest incarceration rate in the world. Russia and Rwanda are distant second and third. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,

At yearend 2010, the total number of offenders under the supervision of the adult correctional authorities represented about 3.0% of adults in the U.S. resident population, or 1 in every 33 adults. The rate of adults under correctional supervision has remained relatively stable since 2000 (3.1%).

This is down from the high in 2007. But we’re not closing prisons. There is profit to be made.