These are the most recent statistic on prison populations in some important couuntries:

USA. 2,239,751
China 1,640,000
UK. 84,052
Spain 68,898
Japan. 68,285
France 67,977
Germany 65,889

Congratulations to the United States – you have won!

On the basis of the above it might be argued that the US, with 300 million people ought, under normal circiumstances, have a prison population of about 350,000 people. But circumstances sre not normal. Prisons are (partly) privatized, and the prison industry is of major importance. To cut the outrageous US figure down to reasonable size would offend the warriors in the “war on drugs” as well as the CEO fat cats running the prisons. Were this not an Epicurean blog one might be tempted to utter the words, “May God help us”.