Man served 31 years in prison for stealing $62

After being paroled last month, Coleman-Bey, who is African American, is now looking for a job and state assistance, according to the Michigan Chronicle.  At the end of 2006, there were 3,042 black male sentenced prisoners per 100,000 black males in the United States, compared to 1,261 Hispanic males sentenced per 100,000 Hispanic males and 487 white males sentenced per 100,000 white males.

More than two million men and women are now behind bars in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.  "Contrary to popular perception, violent crime is not responsible for the quadrupling of the incarcerated population in the United States since 1980," according to Human Rights Watch.  "In fact," the organization says, "violent crime rates have been relatively constant or declining over the past two decades. The exploding prison population has been propelled by public policy changes that have increased the use of prison sentences as well as the length of time served." 

The organization cited mandatory minimum sentences, "three strikes" laws, and reductions in the availability of parole or early release as factors contributing to the increasing prison population.