There are several reasons for this:
-More and more offenses that can land you in jail or prison. A great many of these are minor drug charges and other small-time white collar crimes.
-Sentences are getting longer, partially due to political agendas. "Tough on Crime" stances are popular with both Dems and Repubs. This stance goes to near extremes.
-Despite having served their time, former inmates find employment chances drastically reduced due to companies not wanting to hire someone with a criminal record. This is one factor that leads to high recidivism rates. In addition, for many industries, the allure of lower-paid migrant workers overrides the want to hire someone with a record.
-The black community is especially hit hard. When a younger male(20s-30s bracket) is put into confinement and taken out of his neighborhood, that is one less salary going into the community's economy. That is one less father figure(for many) for children. More children than ever, overwhelmingly in the black community, come out of broken homes and broken communities and find their future within the many human warehouses across the US a very high likelihood.
-Prisons and jails are profitable. Companies such as Wackenhut and CCA are the leading private prison groups out there. Once correctional facilities were shunned by towns and communities. Now they are welcomed with open arms as there is the prospect of officers, their families, and inmates' families to spend their money in the vicinity. Correctional facilities help to fill the vacuum left by departed industrial jobs. Their is also the feeling of safety in the community as many officers are housed within the vicinity.
- Jails and prisons are not the solution for many of the crimes committed out there. They are simply a band-aid for various problems. They DO serve their purpose when housing violent inmates. However, there exists a variety of better ways to rehabilitate and correct those with lesser offenses.....and to exonerate their records so they may seek fair employment.