Fixing America's ‘broken system' of criminal justice
For the first time in US history, the president visited to a federal prison. The trip was part of a broader mission by Barack Obama to fix what he described as "a broken system" of criminal justice in the United States.
Days before his tour of the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution, the White House granted clemency to 46-non-violent drug offenders who had already served 10 years behind bars. And in a speech at theNAACP, the country's oldest and largest civil rights organisation, Obama highlighted the deep racial disparities that have led to the disproportionate incarceration of African-Americans and Latinos. He also called for a cultural shift when it comes to how the US deals with prisons and prisoners.
So how ‘broken' is the system?
The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. Federal prisons are at 130 per cent capacity, with half of their population jailed for drug offenses. The United States spends $80 billion on keeping people incarcerated. And while crime rates have steadily declined over the past three decades, the prison population has quadrupled since 1980, with African-Americans and Latinos making up 60 per cent of prisoners.
With strong bipartisan support, Obama has requested sweeping criminal justice reforms which include reducing or eliminating mandatory sentences; changes to prisons to reduce overcrowding, abuse and the use of solitary confinement; increasing programmes that help with job training and drug treatment; and restoring voting rights to former offenders.
So are Obama's reform plans the answer to this "broken" criminal justice system? Join our conversation at 19:30 GMT.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
MasterChef Australia
MasterChef Australia is an Australian competitive cooking game show consisting of a group of hopeful contestants that cook and present food to judges in order to win the title of MasterChef Australia.
The Proof Is Out There
The Proof Is Out There takes an in-depth look at some of the most incredible and thought provoking videos of unexplained phenomena and mysterious must-see moments of all time. Each half-hour episode explores and analyzes the full story of each irregularity in question from bizarre footage of people seemingly immune to lightning, to a fifty-foot snake, apocalyptic sounds in a man's backyard, enigmatic creatures, and UFOS that split and dive underwater. Through expert examination and the use of the latest technologies, The Proof Is Out There aims to get to the bottom of what's real? What's fake? And everything in between.
Gold Rush: White Water
Gold miners Dakota Fred and his son Dustin are back - returning to McKinley Creek Alaska, determined to make a fortune no matter the risk. But to find the big gold payout, they'll put their lives on the line by diving deep beneath the raging waters of one of Alaska's wildest creeks.
The UnXplained
The UnXplained will tackle subjects that have mystified mankind for centuries, from mysterious structures and cursed ancient cities to extraterrestrial sightings and bizarre rituals. The series will also feature contributions from top scientists, historians, engineers and researchers - each seeking to shed light on how the seemingly impossible can happen.