It may come as a shock to you to learn that the United States is the world’s leader in incarceration. Or maybe this doesn’t surprise you at all; the rise of mass incarceration over the past three decades has been the subject of some intense scrutiny. We know that hyper-criminalization drives poverty and presents obstacles for those who have to bear the weight of a criminal record. But exactly how many Americans deal with these issues? As many as 100 million Americans have an unclean record; however, the actual number is so high that counting them is nearly impossible. Instead, here are some statistics to put the number into perspective:
- There are currently more Americans with Criminal records than there were American citizens in 1900.
- America has 5% of the world’s population, and 25% of its prisoners.
- One in three Americans has been arrested by the age of 23.
- There is roughly the same amount of college graduates as there are people with criminal records.
- If every arrested American band together to form a nation, they would be the 18th largest nation in the world.
- About 20% of American citizens have criminal records.
- There are more Americans with criminal records than there are people living in France.
- Young adults make up 10% of the American population, and 29% of American arrests.
- If every American with an arrest record held hands, they would circle the earth three times.
- There are more Americans with arrest records than there are American households with a dog.
These statistics are problematic. We’re dealing with an issue that is preventing millions of Americans from becoming productive members of society, which begs the question: Why are there so many Americans with criminal records?
Maybe the issue isn’t that Americans are criminals, but that American politicians are hell bent on criminalizing things. The federal criminal code has a ridiculous amount of laws, not to mention government regulations with criminal penalties. No one even knows how many federal laws there are in America—there are 20,000 laws governing the ownership of guns alone. The problem is that there are so many vague rules to follow that any given American is likely to unknowingly commit crimes every day.
So what can be done about it? Washington seems to recognize the problem, and there’s a general consensus that something has to be done about it; there are several areas of reform that could correct the criminal justice system. On an individual level, there are steps you can take to wipe your criminal history. Call Easy Expunctions at 210) 816-6655 to determine your eligibility and find your path to a clear record today.
