why are us incarceration rates so high tonry
With the exception of homicide, US crime rates are comparable to other European countries with much lower incarceration rates. High incarceration rates are the result of truth in sentencing, mandatory minimum and three strikes laws which have limited judicial discretion in sentencing and parole release. US & Canada, United States. The US has the highest incarceration rate not because it has higher crime rates, but because it imprisons more types of criminal offenders, including non-violent and drug offenders, and keeps them in prison longer [Getty Images].