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States of Incarceration: The Global Context
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.
—Cindy Chang, The Times-Picayune, May 13, 2012
We’ve all heard the same line from people caught in wrongdoing—public figures, celebrities, even people like us: “That’s not who I am.” It’s a comforting defense, a way of separating the self from the harm we caused. But for those of us who have lived through indictment, conviction, or incarceration, that phrase becomes far more complicated.
