Louisiana - prison capital of the world

The hidden engine behind the state's well-oiled prison machine is cold, hard cash. A majority of Louisiana inmates are housed in for-profit facilities, which must be supplied with a constant influx of human beings or a $182 million industry will go bankrupt....

One of the legacies of slavery is racism - of which Louisiana has plenty.  But less recognized is that harsh punishment is another.  The New Orleans Times Picayune tells the story:

 Louisiana is the World's Prison Capital

by Cindy Chang - The Times Picayune

Louisiana is the world's prison capital. The state imprisons more of its people, per head, than any of its U.S. counterparts. First among Americans means first in the world. Louisiana's incarceration rate is nearly triple Iran's, seven times China's and 10 times Germany's.

SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE Inmates return to their dormitory from the cafeteria at Richland Parish Detention Center in September.

  Prison overcrowding has become a thing of the past, even as the inmate population multiplies rapidly. Louisiana Incarcerated: state is No. 1 in prisoners gallery (19 photos)