Here in the US, at least, we seem to have a disproportionately large prison population... and it troubles me that imprisonment is a "for profit" venture. I can't help but think that sets up a dynamic in which keeping people in prison is "better" than truly rehabilitating them.

That's one.

I also think there's a connection between the number of inmates and the general sense of "economic desperation" among the lower one-third of the US income demographic. United Way's ALICE project estimates that about 51 million HOUSEHOLDS in the US can't afford the basics of life. That's 40% of the population. Having that Sword of Damocles eternally over your head, eventually wears on you and can cause otherwise rational and reasonable people to make irrational choices.

Including crimes. Sometimes being in prison with a roof over your head and some kind of food beats living in a ditch...