You didn't even mention the sheer cost of keeping someone imprisoned. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me we tolerate having over 25% of the entire world's prison population when we have less than 5% of the total world population. The sentences are draconian, there is no other way to put it. Over half the prisoners are in for just drug charges. Being a minority especially, in America is tough enough and now you got a criminal record too. It is definitely more probable than not now that you will be back in the slave camps of the private prison system. The whole criminal justice industrial complex is dependent on people paying the fees, paying the lawyers, paying court costs, and they need fresh bodies for the slave camp that is a private prison. What do you think pays for the police departments, the courthouse, your public defender who isn't looking to get your charge lessened really, he's just there pretending to have your interests at heart? Eventually the proceeds confiscated by the police either ends up in the hands of dirty cops or they reinvest that money into better weaponry. This is the other half of the drug issue you didn't mention.