The Other American Exceptionalism

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Crime and Punishment

In almost every realm of government activity, the state plays a smaller role in the United States. The most significant exceptions are in national defense and the criminal justice system.

Link to Excel file

In comparison to other democracies, the United States is off the charts when it comes ot sending its people to prison.

With just 5% of the world's population, the United States holds 20% of the world's prisoners, although incarceration rates are rising in in most other nations.

In 2006, the incarceration of black Americans (at 2,536) was almost 4 times that of the population as a whole, but even white Americans (at 393)  have an imprisonment rate higher than any other country except Russia.