Quote: DaButt @ July 28 2011, 11:57 PM BSTBullshit. Crime rates have everything to do with the society and nothing to do with the society's prisons. British prisons also have a high recidivism rate but you have few prisons and prisoners than we do. You (and Norway) also have fewer street thugs, gang members and drug dealers than we do. If the United States could get rid of that subclass of people our statistics would look like Norway's.
More it's because we treat them like people not a subclass. So we try and help them with education, jobs, somewhere to live etc.
Countries with humane prison and welfare systems reap the benefits long term.
Of course spending all your taxes on the worlds largest and most pointless military whilst the infrastructure of your country falls apart is an alternative
*awaits being informed about how China has 3 billion canoes and is planning to paddle to Europe for invasion*