http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/prisons.htm
Percent of sentenced State inmates, by most serious crime:
1995 2004
Total 100% 100%
Violent 47 52
Property 23 21
Drug 22 20
Public-order 9 7
So, no doubt some of those in other categories (like violent) have drug crimes TOO, but the crime they're serving serious time for is something else.
If you count someone who's been convicted for both murder (and sentenced to 20 years) and for marijuana possession (and sentenced to 18 months) as a "drug offense" in your above statistics, no wonder they seem inflated!
(Of course, they may just be flat-out wrong, too.)
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What's your source on that?!
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/prisons.htmPercent of sentenced State inmates, by most serious crime:
1995 2004
Total 100% 100%
Violent 47 52
Property 23 21
Drug 22 20
Public-order 9 7
So, no doubt some of those in other categories (like violent) have drug crimes TOO, but the crime they're serving serious time for is something else.
If you count someone who's been convicted for both murder (and sentenced to 20 years) and for marijuana possession (and sentenced to 18 months) as a "drug offense" in your above statistics, no wonder they seem inflated!
(Of course, they may just be flat-out wrong, too.)